Fourteen play areas across Oxford face almost certain closure within a year.

Oxford City Council said it does not have enough cash to repair and refurbish rundown playgrounds and has earmarked those set for the axe.

Earlier this year city council leisure director Sharon Cosgrove drew up a play area action framework that earmarked 16 for closure.

Senior councillors have now agreed to a final report being tabled in the coming months that would detail the ones to close "as outlined in play area action framework except Quarry Hollow and Titup Hall Drive".

Councillors will make a final decision later this year, but that leaves 14 set to close:

  • Bernwood Park, Headington
  • Campion Close, Blackbird Leys
  • Columbine Gardens, Greater Leys
  • Greenfinch Close, Blackbird Leys
  • Juniper Drive, Blackbird Leys
  • Marigold Close, Blackbird Leys
  • Rowan Grove, Greater Leys
  • Woodpecker Green, Greater Leys
  • Westfield Close, Cowley Marsh
  • Girdlestone Road, Headington
  • Sermon Close, Headington
  • Cholsey Close, Cowley
  • Chillingworth Crescent, Headington

James Warren, 22, who takes his 16-month-old son Louis to Sermon Close play area in Headington, said: "People should be trying to save these play areas - people with kids will not be very happy at all at this news."

Mother-of-four Suzanne Shaw, 36, whose seven-year-old daughter Holly uses Campion Close play park in Blackbird Leys, said: "Someone knocked on my door last year saying they were going to close the park - but I want to know what they are going to do with that bit of land.

"To get rid of the play area would deprive the children of a real facility."

But Nawaz Hussain, 31, whose daughter Safa uses Westfield Close play area in Cowley Marsh, added: "There are two ways of looking at it.

"From the children's point of view it's a sad thing, but most of the residents would be happy if the park was replaced with car park spaces."

The Liberal Democrat-run Town Hall is expected to pass responsibility of the under-threat play areas to the city's six area committees, arguing that decisions on such matters should be made locally.

Deputy city council leader David Rundle said: "It is up to area committees to take that framework and decide what to do.

"The area committees can go through the process of finding a different pot of money.

"The amount of money sloshing around the city council is pretty small anyway, so that is not going to be the solution.

"We are dealing with a desperate legacy, but we need to make sure decisions are made locally."

But Labour group leader Bob Price said: "As far as I am concerned these 14 will close - that is the current council policy.

"This will be deeply unpopular because if you live on an estate it's the green space that makes all the difference.

"The closure programme was approved by the executive board so to say they can be saved by area committee is passing the buck because they have got no resources to do that."

However, several city play areas will be refurbished including: Kingfisher Green, Balfour Road, Sundew Close, Gillians Park, Botley Park and Foxwell Drive.

Ms Cosgrove added: "The play area action framework has been out to consultation for some time.

"Officers will be considering the results of this and preparing a report to committee for consideration. No decisions have been made yet regarding the closure of any play areas."