PEOPLE power has forced the city council to debate the running of East Oxford Community Centre after a campaigner gathered a 1,500-strong petition.

Chaka Artwell spent the past eight weeks rallying support for his call for the authority to step down from managing the Princes Street Centre.

His petition has now triggered a debate, which means councillors will have to discuss the centre’s management at the next full council meeting on December 7.

Barton resident Mr Artwell said: “I just could not stand back and watch another public space and public facility get taken over without even trying to resist.

“My fear is that we are losing our community facilities, our community spaces and our ability to be able to run things ourselves.

“I have seen what has happened in other areas in the city where the council has taken over community centres and I don’t like what I’m seeing.

“I want the management of East Oxford Community Centre to be given back to the people of East Oxford, for the people of East Oxford.”

The council took over management of the centre in September after East Oxford Community Association was given notice to quit.

Trustees were told they had a year to improve its management or face eviction last August following “serious concerns” about how the centre was being run.

But they were forced out on September 2, with the council beginning £15,000 of refurbishment work later that month.

This included replacing dance mirrors, decorating the lounge and upper hall, improving the front noticeboards, painting the front fire doors, replacing the back gate and bar door, as well as installing new hand dryers and soap dispensers.

In August, the Oxford Mail revealed the city council had appointed an architect to carry out a £200,000 feasibility study, which could see the East Oxford Games Hall and Film Oxford sites sold to fund a £1.5m redevelopment of the community centre.

Mr Artwell said he had joined forces with campaigners to lobby the council to hand back management of the centre after being unhappy with how the authority was handling the situation.

He added: “I thought it was done really brutally and roughly. There did not seem be much leeway for consultation.

“You get a sense that the council does not listen to you.

“They have already made their minds up.

“They see you more as an irritant rather than engaging with you,” he added.