Sir – The future of Summertown’s Diamond Place NOA Community Centre is to be discussed at the meeting of Oxford City Council’s executive board, to be held at Oxford Town Hall on Thursday, July 9, at 5pm.

The NOA Community Centre provides support to groups in the Summertown and St Margarets Wards where many of the members are increasingly affected by growing austerity cuts. It contributes towards the health and welfare of the community. Without it the community would suffer.

The problem is that the Consultation Draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) of February, 2015, failed to provide a permanent replacement for the existing NOA Community Centre before it is demolished to make space for an extension to the Ferry Leisure Centre. This could be resolved by providing the permanent replacement on the same site as the temporary car park on the adjacent Summer Fields School playing field. The Draft SPD shows there is ample space for both the replacement community centre and the temporary car park on that site.

If you wish to express your views to the city’s executive board, you can do so in the form of written questions: phone 01865 252402 for details. Submissions need to be received before 9.30am on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.

The future of Summertown’s Diamond Place NOA Community Centre rests with the executive board. The members are familiar with The Local Government Act 2000, which refers to the responsibilities that Oxford City Council has in maintaining the economic, social and environmental well-being of its area.

A permanent replacement before the NOA Community Centre is demolished would be welcome and be a relief to many, and would also be a recognition on the part of Oxford City Council of the city’s statutory role embedded in The Local Government Act 2000.

Rodney Stableford
Oxford