A team lobbying the Government over a possible £13m cut in housing support grant for vulnerable people in Oxfordshire said they had a positive meeting yesterday with civil servants.

Under a revised funding formula proposed by the Government, the county council's supporting people grant could be cut from £21m to £8m over the next 10 years.

The money is used to finance projects which help the homeless, older people, teenage parents, and those living with long-term support needs.

Delegation leader and council head of planning Nick Welch said: "It was a very positive meeting and the civil servants listened closely to our technical arguments."

Mr Welch added that civil servants were given a clear message that the county council was not confident in the funding formula, which is still being drawn up.

Oxfordshire MPs led by Banbury Conservative Tony Baldry are backing the opposition to the proposed funding cuts.