A COMMUNITY centre whose troubled past has included a murder and a stabbing is to be run by residents once again.

Blackbird Leys Community Centre will soon be managed by a new community association, seven years after the original association disbanded.

The centre’s four bars became a magnet for trouble and criticism following two stabbings, one of which was fatal, in 2004.

It has since been managed by owners Oxford City Council.

But now an interim steering group has been set up to establish a constitution before residents are invited to become trustees of the Blackbird Leys Road centre later this year.

And residents are being sought to help run the facility.

Val Smith, who represents Blackbird Leys on the council, said: “We are working with the city council and the idea is to revive the centre to make it a bigger part of the community.

“We want to encourage more groups to use it and encourage more people in.”

Rooms are hired out to community groups, and services on offer include the Credit Union and Blitz IT, which offers free computer courses.

Last year, employees from the Midcounties Co-op began the building’s transformation by giving tired areas a lick of paint.

Mrs Smith, wife of Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, said: “Now it’s a much more positive place and it can be run by the community again.

“There is a lot of space there and we could do more. We want groups to know that we are there.

“If there are lots of groups using the building then the cost to rent the rooms won’t be so high. It’s not a business which makes profit.”

Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “We feel that is important for the residents of The Leys to get involved in the running of their own community centre again and have proposed a phased process for re-establishing a community association.”

Heather Tucker, who ran Golden Circle bingo at the centre, said: “It needs a group of local people running it.

“I’m sure there could be a lot more going on. It’s a good idea.”

Rachel Fisher, who runs The Leys Women’s Institute at the Clockhouse, Greater Leys, said: “I have lived on the estate for eight years and never stepped inside the community centre.

“I don’t know what goes on there. I think they should promote the activities a bit more so people know.”

For centre information call 01865 435954.

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk