COMMUNITY groups across Oxford remain hopeful of securing cash from the city council - even if they are empty-handed at the moment.

More than £1.6m is to be given to community groups and voluntary organisations in 2007/08.

The money will support 74 projects ranging from welfare advice provision, assisting vulnerable and homeless people, arts education and neighbourhood projects.

However, because some groups are not supported, it was agreed that a further £5,339 would be set aside for small grants to allocate during the year, £10,000 for arts development and £29,404 for emergencies.

Organisations that thought they had missed out have been given cash.

Oxford Citizens Advice Bureau has been handed £170,000, Asylum Welcome £3,750 and Simon House £11,825.

Those without grants include East Oxford Senior Citizens Club, the Indian Union, Leys Linx, Oxford Bonn Link and the Leys Credit Union.

City councillor Caroline van Zyl, executive member for a safer city, said: "I'm pleased we are able to assist so many voluntary and community groups.

"The grants process is always challenging as we have to make extremely difficult choices while working within the constraints of the budget.

"The council always receives more applications for grants than we have money available to allocate."

The Town Hall provides more financial support though its grants than most other local authorities and in future wants to devolve some decision-making to the city's six area committees.

However, city-wide grant allocations would still be decided centrally.

Rose Hill and Iffley city councillor and executive board member Antonia Bance said: "This year the process has been rocky, to say the least.

"We don't believe these grant allocations reflect the political and corporate priorities of this council and I am upset by this."

Ms van Zyl added: "In future we will be making the application process much simpler for organisations applying for small grants and the council is also planning to offer appropriate help - aside from purely financial support - to those organisations that are likely to benefit from it.

"We are committed to making the grants process open, fair and transparent, and to ensure that its integrity stands up to scrutiny in future years."