Welcome to the website for

 Risinghurst and Sandhills

 Parish Council

The Risinghurst and Sandhills Parish is situated on the north east corner of Oxford City and consists of Risinghurst, Sandhills and part of Wood Farm estates.  The Parish Council is the fourth tier of government after parliament, the county council and the city council. It's legal powers are granted and regulated by various government acts.

The Parish Council supplements the provision of local government services in the parish, while promoting and representing the parish with other national bodies.

Parish Councillors are elected for a term of four years. The Civic Year runs from May to April with the election of the Chairman of the Council and Vice Chairman taking place at the statutory Annual meeting in May.

How is the Parish Council Funded?

The Council Tax paid by Parish residents, include the spending requirements of Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Thames Valley Police Authority and this Parish Council.

Many people do not realise that the Parish Council does not receive any revenue support from central government, unlike County and City Councils; neither does it receive any funding from local business and retailers via their payment of the non-domestic rate.

Each year the Parish Council calculates the money it needs to raise to provided its services and any capitol projects, which are planned for the year ahead. This sum, called the precept, is the amount we levy on the city council and which they collect as a proportion of the total council tax paid by Parish households.

When and where does the Council meet?

Meetings of the Full Council are usually held on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) at 7.30pm in the Community Centre, Kiln Lane, Risinghurst. The press and public are welcome to attend all Council meetings but the meetings held in January, April, July and October are open meetings (restricted to 30 minutes) commencing at 7.0pm where the public are invited to put questions to the Council. Anyone wishing to speak should give the Clerk written notice prior to the commencement of the meeting.

The Annual Parish Meeting at which members of the public are welcome to ask any question of the Council is held in April at the Community Centre, Kiln Lane, Risinghurst. At this meeting the Chairman will give a report of the work of the Parish Council in the past year.

The May meeting of the Full Council will be the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council at which the Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected.