MORE cash has been promised for Oxfordshire’s threatened libraries after County Hall netted its second Government windfall of the week.

Central Government confirmed last night it would provide £640,000 to fund Oxfordshire County Council’s music service for schools and young people.

But the authority, which has to save £119m over four years, had already planned to pay for the service so has pledged to split the new money between libraries (£300,000) and adult social services (£340,000).

Earlier this week it revealed its Government grant had been increased by £1.5m.

It has used some of that money, along with £150,000 from reserves, to create a £600,000 fund to respond to public consultations.

It is not clear yet what the new library cash will be spent on.

The windfalls come less than a week before the council budget, which contains plans to cut funding to 20 of 43 county libraries, has to be finalised on February 15.

Council leader Keith Mitchell said it was better late than never.

He added: “None of us have ever known a budget process whereby central Government is still informing councils of funding updates in February.”

County Liberal Democrats have also put their name to a letter criticising the pace and scale of the coalition Government’s spending cuts.

Group leader and Wantage councillor Zoe Patrick, and Tony de Vere, leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, were two of the signatories to the national letter in The Times that warned cuts would damage the economy and hit the most vulnerable.