WTH its dreaming spires, unrivalled museums and thousands of tourists, Oxford would seem to be a city which has everything.

Money flows in as quickly as applications to its academically brilliant university and trade is brisk throughout the year.

Yet when the city needed inspiration to boost trade, tourism and crime prevention, councillors turned to ... BOLTON.

While Bolton does not easily compare to the southern city, the town has nevertheless seen visitor numbers soaring above one million.

Now, Oxford's councillors are hoping the framework set up by the Bolton Town Centre Management Company will push their own city into a whole new league.

They are discussing proposals for a similar non profit-making company to look after the centre, raising money through traders' membership fees, commercial income and city council funds.

Any surplus would be used to improve the city's infrastructure.

It is a blueprint which has been used successfully by Bolton's Town Centre Management Company for more than a year.

BOLTON'S town centre manager Karen Wheeldon said: "Since we began work in Bolton, we have spoken to many towns and cities across Britain.

"Each one is impressed with the work we have done. By generating our own money, we are better able to improve prospects of the town centre.

"It allows us to create a better environment for visitors and we're pleased Oxford has spotted that."

Oxford's city centre manager, Marcus Lapthorn, said the council was currently in financial difficulty which prevented much-needed investment.

He said handing responsibility over to a private firm would lead to many benefits, including police sponsorship to guarantee officers in shopping areas, new signs, street wardens and special events.

The company could also provide marketing for traders -- an identical situation to that which already exists in Bolton.

Mr Lapthorn said: "People continue to demand a cleaner, safer, more colourful and better maintained city centre.

"The city council alone is unlikely to ever be able to fund this greater expectation and we thought Bolton's success would be one to emulate."

The move has been welcomed by Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce and the city's Covered Market Traders' Association.

There is, however, an objection from Martin Gregory, Oxford city branch secretary for public sector union Unison.

He was angry that members had not been consulted on the proposals and said: "City centre management belongs to the public. It is true the council has little money, but this private outfit would be funded through a city council fee or grant and that means it would be subsidised by the taxpayer."