The invention relates to a method and arrangement for transmitting and receiving control information in a radio-access network. A network node transmits first control information in a first part and second control information in a second part of a time-frequency region that is transmitted after a control region in a subframe. The second part is located later in the subframe than the first part. The second control information may be less time-critical than the first control information. An intermediate node receives and decodes the first control information at the end of the first part. When the first control information indicates that the subframe comprises data payload to the intermediate node, the intermediate node receives and decodes the data payload. The intermediate node receives second control information at the end of the second part.