Plans to cut funding from some of the most vulnerable people by more than £1 million have been suspended for a year – but libraries are still at risk.

West Sussex County Council cabinet looked at 18 areas suggested for millions of pounds of possible cuts or savings.

They included housing-related support. The service offers help to homeless and vulnerable people and there was an outcry when it was announced £4 million of its £6.3 million budget would be cut by April.

The latest proposal called for another £1.3 million to be cut in 2020/21, leaving just £1 million in the pot.

Amanda Jupp, cabinet member for adults and health, asked for the idea to be dropped. She said: “There’s a lot of hard work going into this. We’re bringing everyone together, we’re working hard with our partners – and Rome wasn’t built in a day.

“I would really regret losing the trust that we have built up with our partners and providers since this decision was originally taken.

“In the fullness of time we will get a much better outcome which will then show that we will not have to be funding this to such a large extent.”

It was agreed to suspend the proposal for one year.

Members were given three options for the 18 suggestions – put them forward for more work to find out if they would be viable, take them off the table completely or pause any further work until later.

The council is legally required to present a balanced budget in February.

One proposal put forward for further work was to save up to £500,000 by making changes to library services.

These include closing several branch libraries, reducing opening hours, and removing the mobile library service.

Those risk are Angmering, Arundel, Broadwater, East Preston, Ferring, Findon Valley, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Petworth, Pulborough, Southbourne, Southwater and Witterings.

The council is working on transforming libraries into community hubs, bringing various services under one roof, and Debbie Kennard, cabinet member for safer, stronger communities, said she thought the £500,000 could be “mitigated” through that work.

There are also plans to close two of the county’s 11 tips. This was deferred for a year, with Councillor Paul High saying: “If one of the two that’s shut is the Worthing centre, look forward to World War Three.”

A report said all the work was at a very early stage and no final decisions would be taken until the autumn.