Blackbird Leys is hardly awash with facilities - residents even had to battle for a decent cashpoint - and now the city council is planning to shut down seven play areas.

This is a short-sighted policy and the council should carefully review the controversial proposals before they finalise plans.

Any money the local authority saves on refurbishment costs will be lost in other ways, because the health of local youngsters will certainly not be aided by the loss of these facilities.

Some youths will inevitably chose to hang around on the street, which can be intimidating for residents, even if they are not actually committing a crime.

When you are a new parent, a walk down to the swings is a welcome break from the latest round of feeding and changing, and a breath of fresh air and a run around is sure to put a smile on your child's face.

But where will families go if all the play areas are closed? Estates like Blackbird Leys, Barton and Wood Farm are not blessed with large open spaces like Port Meadow in North Oxford, and not everyone is lucky enough to have a large garden.

For those families living in tower blocks these proposals must seem like a sick joke.

The city council has a duty to support its most needy residents, the vast majority of whom pay their council tax just like anyone else.

So far, there is no suggestion that the council is planning to close play areas so it can build houses on them but it should declare its long-term aims right now.

In the meantime, local councillors and community leaders should mount a vigorous campaign against this shameful scheme.