Questions over Stockton Council finances as meeting told: 'We're under pressure but we're on track'

Council finances have been described as "under pressure but on track" with an overspend of almost £1.7m.

Bosses have faced questions over an overspend so far this year, which seemed to jump by more than £200,000 from the figure previously stated because of a "typo" in a council report. Stockton Council says it has identified savings of £5.8m in its 'Powering Our Future' transformation programme by 2026-7, with another £2.26m savings needed by that year.

Assistant finance director Clare Harper referred to a "small typo" in the Labour-led authority's latest finance report. She told the council's cabinet: "The projected overspend for the year is £1.684m. In the original version it quoted £1.455m."

Councillor Paul Rowling, deputy council leader and cabinet member for resources and transpo