AN EAST Oxford community group has been given a year to improve the way it is run or face eviction from its building.

In June Oxford City Council told East Oxford Community Association it had a month to leave its Princes Street centre because it had “serious concerns” about its management.

But the community association protested the council’s actions and has since been in negotiations with officials.

Now the council has decided to give the association until August 15, 2015 to win a reprieve.

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Tim Sadler, above,  executive director for community services at the city council, said: “Whilst the meeting had been positive and encouraging there was a long way to go for the community association to meet the standards expected of a charity aiming to run a complex, multi-use centre which had strong governance and a robust business plan to enable the centre to run without subsidy from local tax payers.

“Meeting the needs and aspirations of all of the communities of East Oxford in an inclusive and cost effective manner was paramount and it is the council’s responsibility to achieve this.”

There are 19 community centres around Oxford which are owned by the city council, and various voluntary associations run them on behalf of the community.

East Oxford Community Association is a registered charity which runs and hires out the centre to groups and societies in the area.

Organisations which are currently based in the centre – apart from the community association – include Oxpots which runs a pottery class, Fusion Arts which runs community art lessons, and Oxford Green Print, a co-operative which provides an ethical printing service. But the city council has said they would not be affected by any eviction of the community association and that the centre would be run by council officers.

Andrea Leen, who runs Oxpots, said: “It is slightly ironic that they are making an attempt to take over the community centre when it is such a valuable piece of real estate.

“I would be deeply suspicious of the council’s motivations and I think it is better run by the community. I don’t have any issues with the way the centre is run.”

Council officials have said the site could be developed but only to extend the floorspace available to the community.

City councillor Christine Simm, the executive board member for culture and communities, said that refurbishment work would take place from next August so the council needs control of the building.

She said: “I look forward to working with the association on plans for the future and hearing of their progress in dealing with their governance issues.”

The East Oxford Community Association but it did not respond.

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