A communications node includes a memory configured to store allocation data defining an allocation of persistent downlink resources for use in communicating data between the communications node and another node of a communications system within predetermined transmission time intervals (TTIs), a receiver configured to receive control data relating to a dynamic allocation of resources to be used in a current TTI, and a controller configured to determine if a C-RNTI is present in the control data for a TTI for which a User Equipment (UE) includes persistent downlink resources, determine that the resource allocation indicated on a control channel for the TTI overrides the persistent downlink resources for the TTI, when a C-RNTI is present in the control channel for a TTI for which the UE has persistent downlink resources, and allocate persistent downlink resources for a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmission.