A councillor is to put forward a motion to try to save small Oxford shops, whose owners say they would have to close if they have to pay back-dated rent.

Patrick Murray, councillor for Barton and Sandhills, wants Oxford City Council to waive demands for thousands of pounds of rent from independent retailers, back-dated because of delays in rent reviews by the council.

A total of 183 commercial properties face reviews and a number of small businesses say they will be forced to close if the proposed rent hikes become a reality.

Mr Murray says it is important to maintain a wide range of shops in the city centre. He plans to ask fellow councillors to think again about the increases at the next full council meeting in October.

He said: "I'm working with some of my colleagues to try to get a motion through. It will read something on the lines of: 'We would like the council to consider the kind of city centre it wants. As expressed before, we want a vibrant, diverse city and so we ask that the issue of back-dated rents be looked at and a solution be found to prevent shops from going out of business.'

He added: "The council should be helping small businesses, not making them go out of business."

But council officers say shopkeepers were aware the review was coming up and should have prepared for it. Among the retailers affected by the delayed reviews are Avid Records and clothes shop Annabelinda, both in Gloucester Street.

The rent for Avid Records, the only independent record shop in the city centre, is expected to go up by 25 per cent (from £2,000 to £2,500) with shop owner Paul Roullier having to pay £21,000 in backdated rent.

He said such a demand would force him to close.

"It's no fault of mine that the council did not do their job three-and-a-half years ago. Their argument that I should have saved for it is pretty poor. What they're saying is that because they did not do their job, I should do it for them."

Belinda O'Hanlon, of Annabelinda, welcomed Mr Murray's proposal. She said: "I hope they change their mind. The little quirkier shops in the High Street bring people into the Oxford. They come from all over the country. By being here we do a lot of good for the city, but I just don't think we could carry on with these rent increases."