Demonstrations were held outside Oxfordshire County Council buildings in Banbury yesterday in protest at cuts to youth services.

Members of Unite were protesting against proposals to replace 26 youth centres with seven ‘hubs’ and six satellite centres, with further centres to be run by volunteer groups with Big Society funding.

Banbury youth worker Mike Beal, chairman of the Oxfordshire Community and Youth Workers Union, said: “We are strong, united and in good spirits and hoping that the message is going across Oxfordshire so the county council will stop and think again.”

Mr Beal estimated between 30 and 40 people were demonstrating, but the county council questioned those numbers.

Spokesman Paul Smith said: “We believe the action taken will have minimal or no impact. We are still very hopeful all of those youth centres have futures regardless of whether they continue to be run by the county council or not.”