A community resource centre may be forced to close by the same council that helps pay for its running.

The Horspath Road Resource Centre in Cowley, Oxford, has been given a £6,000 rent demand by the city council which, if it paid, would bankrupt the centre and force it to close.

In April, the city council gave the centre £20,000 to keep it going after a £52,000 lottery grant from 2004 ran out.

The county council spent £6,000 on computers and a complete refurbishment of the centre.

But the centre has now been left high and dry, awaiting grants to come through in July.

The centre is used for IT classes, after-school clubs, English classes and council tenant and police surgeries. It had to shut from 2001 to May 2004 when it ran out of funding.

Cowley city councillor Dan Paskins who campaigned to get the centre reopened said: "While one hand gives support to the centre the other hand is taking it away, without any thought of what is best for the people in Horspath Road.

"It would make more sense for them to write off the rent demand or put it on hold until we can pay it. It's quite a small amount of money considering all the good work that has been done.

"All the cash the council has invested would be wasted if it shuts."

The centre closed on Monday as centre manager Isaac Gakoi has taken holiday for one week.

Mr Gakoi, who has managed the centre for the past two years, said: "I feel very disappointed. The council puts money into one pocket and then takes it out of the other pocket. They gave us £20,000 in April to keep us going then they charged us £6,000 in rates, £7,000 in rent and £5,000 in rent arrears.

"I don't understand why they can't waive these charges if they want to support us. We are not a profit making company, we are providing a service to the community which people won't be able to get. Otherwise, they will have to travel to Blackbird Leys.

"Why do other areas of Oxford like Wood Farm and Barton have services and we don't? It's a very valuable service and vital to the community. People are so upset they want to do a protest."

Mr Gakoi had been running a raffle to raise money to take school children away on a day trip in the summer.

Jayne Champion, a Horspath Road resident, said: "I am really gutted after discovering the resource centre is to close once more. As this is the only community facility we have in this area, offering not only IT courses, council surgeries and after school facilities and much much more, this will affect everyone, young and old.

"We feel we are the forgotten community. Barton, Blackbird Leys and Wood Farm have all got their own IT hubs, why can't we?

"I would like to know how the city and county councils can justify closing such a well used centre they have spent money developing.

"It seems through closing this it will have been an absolute waste of finances."

Louisa Dean, a city council spokesman, said: "The Horspath Road Resource Centre provides a service to the local community.

"Grants are available to voluntary organisations and groups on a yearly basis and groups can apply in November for next year's funding."