OXFORD city and county councils deserve a lot of credit for working together to provide a lifeline to keep the Cowley Road Carnival in the road.

The trustees have had good intentions but they had not been able to secure all the money they wanted for this year’s event.

It was crucial the carnival returned to the road after last year’s absence. To have gone a second year with an event in South Park would have made it doubly difficult to see it return to Cowley Road in 2011.

Both councils have stepped in to provide a total of £40,000 after the trustees were unable to get a grant from the Arts Council.

In these straitened times, particularly with cuts in Government grants expected, for each council to find £20,000 is no mean feat.

Yet both organisations recognise the true worth and unique flavour of the carnival. It is a carnival not only IN but OF Cowley Road and should be cherished.

But the words of Bob Price, the city leader, should be heeded by the organisers.

This is a one-off.

The councils had already pumped in £30,000 before this £40,000 and the trustees cannot rely on being bailed out every year by the local taxpayer.