Oxford has received just £191,000 from the National Lottery for sporting projects, despite millions of pounds being given to projects in neighbouring areas.

The city has made only four successful sporting bids since the lottery began in 1994.

West Oxfordshire District Council has helped attract funds for 20 organisations, bringing £4.1m to the area from the Community Capital Fund.

Cherwell District Council has backed six successful bids totalling £3.4m, in South Oxfordshire, 22 organisations have received a total of £2.4m, and in the Vale of White Horse, 15 organisations have received £2.7m.

Lottery officers warn that figures are not easily comparable between areas, but confirm fewer bids have been submitted from Oxford. Officers also said strong local authority support could greatly improved a bid's chance of success.

Spokesman Charles Freeman said: "We look at every case on an individual basis. But it does give it a stronger case with local authority support as it is more likely to succeed over a longer time period."

He would not comment on Oxford's poor success rate but said four criteria could determine an area's success.

These include a clear strategic plan for sports development, a dedicated local authority officer to support lottery app- lications, flexible planning policies, and financial help for groups developing bids.

Oxford has no strategic sports development plan, or a dedicated officer to support community groups developing bids.

Oxford City Council's new Labour administration has yet to appoint a leisure spokesman, but Cllr Peter Johnson, who held the role in opposition, said: "Labour is committed to developing leisure services in Oxford.

"Our record on lottery applications is dis- appointing. We need to examine the criteria for successful bids and see where we can improve."

Former Liberal Democrat leisure spokesman Jim Campbell said Oxford's lack of a strategic plan was a key failing.

But he said the council may not be entirely to blame as a perception about the city's wealth could be a factor.

He said: "Oxford is a university city, popular with tourists.

"I would think, not that there's an in-built prejudice among lottery funders, but possibly a belief that the university provides sporting facilities, therefore lottery funding is not necessary."