A bid for £37m for funding towards care for the elderly has been approved.

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved the bid at its meeting yesterday and the bid will be submitted to NHS England by April 4.

If granted, the money would be spent on a number of projects to reduce the number of elderly people permanently admitted to care homes.

The cabinet also approved its corporate plan for the next four years.

Corporate plans set out a council’s priorities and strategic direction, but a final decision will be made at a meeting of full council at a later date.

Deputy leader Rodney Rose said: “It puts down in words our basic direction of travel for the next few years.”

It includes areas such as the financial challenge facing the council, its plans to improve the economy of the county its priorities for the next year including infrastructure, transport and broadband.