THE problem of disused community buildings in Blackbird Leys will be tackled in a meeting this week.

The Leys Area Forum will be held at The Barn, in Greater Leys tomorrow.

Introduced last year, the forums aim to provide a place for residents to talk to councillors about everything happening in their area.

The previous forum in Blackbird Leys was held last November.

City councillor Val Smith said: “As part of the regeneration of Blackbird and Greater Leys, one of the main aims is to make sure all the community buildings are fully used.

“Groups need to know what spaces are available to them and we want to make sure they are being used to their full potential.”

Such spaces on the estate include the Blackbird Leys Community Centre, the Clockhouse and the Barn.

The centre is used by youth groups, the OX105FM radio station, the Leys CDI, toddler groups and dozens of others.

Mrs Smith said: “But then we have buildings like the Jubilee 1977 hall at the end of Sorrell Road.

“When we developed the estate this was a community centre designed for people on the Green Hill end of Grenoble Road.

“But it never really took off. Outside it looks absolutely dreadful but it has been done up really nicely inside.

“It would be nice to reach out to that bit of the community which doesn’t have anything and get them using it.”

The meeting will also allow time for residents to raise any other concerns they have.

The last Leys Area Forum focused on how to improve life in the Leys.

Residents said although the estate was vibrant and had lots of green spaces, improvements needed to be made in education and opportunities for young people.

Mrs Smith said: “It is good to discuss these things.

“There are no residents’ or tenants’ groups in Blackbird or Greater Leys and that is something which disturbs me.

“There used to be a large tenants’ group but we don’t have that anymore.

“So it would be nice to set something up where two or three groups covered the various areas on the estate.

“That way we could make sure we knew what the issues in the estate were and what needed to be done.

The meeting runs from 6pm until 7.30pm at the Barn in Long Ground.

l For more details, contact Oxford City Council on 01865 252791 or communities@oxford.gov.uk