It is not big news that Oxfordshire has a few hundred thousand pounds more in its coffers than it was expecting when you place it in the context of the millions that need to be saved.

The money could, however, buy some time for the many people campaigning for their local services, in particular the libraries and youth centres.

County Hall has created a ‘one-off’ pot of £450,000 to fund services that residents want to escape the cuts.

Few can doubt the support that is being shown for the local libraries that are programmed for closure.

We have had some big postbags in our time, but they are all dwarfed by the number of letters we have received opposing the library closures.

Not only that, in spite of doubts about the ability of local communities to take on the running of a library, many local communities are examining ways of keeping their local library going.

A bit of time to really work some of these proposals up is all some of these groups may need. A small amount of money to kick-start things may also prove invaluable.

We suspect politicians up and down the land may have been taken by surprise by the level of feeling that the libraries issue has generated.

It has provided a focus for anger about cuts to local services.

It is very good to see our local communities coming out so strongly in support of their libraries and we hope that they will achieve some success.

At the same time, it is clear that some other services — including those that can mean the difference between life and death — have attracted very little publicity.

We think particularly about social care. There are very big cuts in the amount of money going to social services but they are wrapped up in changes to the way services are being provided, particularly avoiding the need for people to go into residential care.

It is hard to visualise what is going to happen to the many people who rely on social care and, in particular, to those who are yet to rely on it. Keeping people in their own homes is a laudable aim but it still costs money and requires well-trained staff to do the caring.

Even the county council admits the strategy, which is being pursued nationwide, is not without its risks.

If things go wrong, social services departments across the land could be facing difficult questions.