COMMUNITY associations could be left homeless under a shake-up of lease agreements, it was warned last night.

Oxford City Council , which owns 19 community centres across the city, wants to bring in standardised three-year leases on all its properties.

But volunteer-led community associations, which manage the centres on a day-to-day basis, say most of the properties currently have longer leases and warned shortening the terms would create problems.

The Oxford Federation of Community Associations chairman Bill Baker said: “The city council wants to give us a three-year lease with no guarantee of it being renewed which is absolutely ridiculous because you cannot get outside funding on a three-year lease.

“They expect us to carry out key performance indicators, but they forget that we are all volunteers and they are piling more work on us.

“I am a former councillor so I accept the Government has taken money away from it.

“I think it is a possibility that some community associations find themselves without a home.”

As part of the leases, the city council requires the associations make sure they hold a “wide range of well-attended events for their community”.

But a spokesman said it wasn’t being called a target and was unable to explain how or if it would be checked.

Mr Baker, who is also chairman of the Donnington Community Association, said that currently community associations had varying contractual arrangements ranging from leases to verbal agreements with the council.

He said the majority of the associations currently on leases had ones which were longer than three years.

Mr Baker said a number of community associations relied on loans, but the repayment period could be longer than the lease itself under the new arrangements.

The council said it was carrying out the changes at the request of some community associations and wanted to create a more uniform system.

Council spokesman Annette Cunningham said: “In the longer term we will be able to sit down with individual associations with a view to considering whether there may be opportunities to grant longer leases. We are aware how many volunteers work tirelessly in community associations for the good of their areas.”

The council is due to meet each community association over the next few months.

CENTRES AROUND THE CITY:

  • Asian Cultural Centre, Manzil Way, run by the Oxford Asian Cultural Association
  • Barton Neighbourhood Centre, Underhill Circus, run by the Barton Community Association
  • Blackbird Leys Youth and Community Centre, Blackbird Leys Road, run by Oxford City Council
  • Bullingdon Community Centre, Peat Moors, run by the Bullingdon Community Association
  • Cheney Community Centre, Cheney Lane, run by Cheney School
  • Cutteslowe Community Centre, Wren Road, run by the Cutteslowe Community Association
  • Donnington Community Centre, Freelands Road, run by the Donnington Community Association
  • East Oxford Community Centre, Princes Street, run by the East Oxford Community Association
  • Florence Park Community Centre, Cornwallis Road, run by the Florence Park Community Association
  • Headington Community Centre, Gladstone Road, run by the Headington Community Association
  • Jericho Community Centre, Canal Street, run by the Jericho Community Association
  • Jubilee 77, Sorrel Road, run by Oxford City Council
  • Littlemore Community Centre, Giles Road, run by the Littlemore Community Association
  • North Oxford Community Centre, Diamond Place, run by the North Oxford Association
  • Regal Community Centre, Ridgefield Road, run by the Regal Community Association
  • Risinghurst Community Centre, Kiln Lane, run by the Risinghurst Community Association
  • Rose Hill Community Centre, The Oval, run by the Rose Hill Community Association
  • South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street, run by the South Oxford Community Association
  • West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Road, run by the West Oxford Community Association