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Brian Lovatt, of Rose Hill, is committed to the sport

LABOUR is kicking off its return to power in Oxford Town Hall by targeting youth football as a key priority.

Soon after celebrating victory in the local elections, the Labour group signalled that it wants to see more young people playing the beautiful game.

And while some would regard local government as more prone to apathy than football, the incoming Labour administration says it will be putting energy into winning youngsters back to soccer.

The Labour group's deputy leader, Ed Turner, said a football summit was being organised with local clubs, coaches and parents to see how the Town Hall can show real support.

Mr Turner said: "Youth football is an important part of life in Oxford, particularly on estates. It keeps youngsters fit and we are keen to see it flourish.

"I think in the past people have felt the city council to be more of a hindrance than a help, because of things such as pitch fees and the rules surrounding changing rooms." Town Hall help could improve changing rooms and fund strips and coaching, with details still to be worked out.

The incoming city council leader, Bob Price, said football would be only part of a bigger programme for young people, which would see more than a dozen local playgrounds being refurbished, with a play area closure programme scrapped.

He said the new administration would also be doing "all it could" to save the Peers Sports Centre, threatened by the scheme to create the Oxford Academy on the Peers School site.

Mr Price said the incoming leadership was now awaiting the outcome of a report into the future management of the city's leisure facilities before deciding on the merits of handing them over to a leisure charitable trust, or keeping them in house.

Mr Price said the most pressing priority is to address the city council's budgetary problems. He said: "The gap in the budget stands at £8.5m and this needs to be tackled."

He said financial constraints meant there could be no return back to weekly waste collections, although Labour would continue with the food waste collection pilot scheme.

Although the group does not have a working majority, Mr Price confirmed that the executive would be entirely made up of Labour city councillors.

6:24am Friday 9th May 2008

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