East Oxford's new 'parliament' has sent a strong message to the city council not to build houses on playing fields being sold to fund the city schools' shake-up, writes Madeleine Pennell.

The first meeting of the new East Area Parliament passed a resolution to inform the planning committee that it wants applications to build on playing fields refused.

The Parliament is also to urge that the maximum amount of social housing is built on the sites of former school buildings.

This was in response to fears that selling playing fields for housing could be used to plug the 10m gap in funds for plans to abolish middle schools and replace them with primary and secondary schools. A packed meeting of about 100 people at the Regal Community Centre in Ridgefield Road backed the proposal, which was raised by Annie Skinner of the pressure group Save Our Schools.

She said: "This is a very important issue and I was really pleased with the support I got."

Oxford City Council is spending 5,000 setting up the parliament, which is aimed at giving people a chance to have their say.

Decisions taken at meetings can be called in by the city council but otherwise will go ahead.

Everything on the agenda at the meeting was agreed. This included extending parking areas in Howard Street and asking the highways and traffic committee to agree a package of traffic calming measures at the junction of Barracks Lane, Cumberland Road and Glanville Road.