We are pleased to see that the Government and Oxfordshire County Council are to bring forward spending on school improvements that could total £20m over the next 12 months.

This is very good news for schools. We have reported in the past on the large backlog of work that needs doing to bring all of our school buildings up to a decent standard.

Importantly, this work will also be vital to local builders and tradesmen who have seen a lot of their work dry up in recent months as the economy has slowed down.

The wheels of bureaucracy often grind very slowly. Planning permissions are needed, tenders have to be put out and decisions taken about which businesses will do what work.

While these are important processes, the times dictate that they should be gone through with the minimum of delay.

Cheering this money is one thing, getting it working quickly can be quite another.