Cambridgeshire County Council
Elected body governing Cambridgeshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cambridgeshire County Council is the county council for non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire, England. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county, which additionally includes the City of Peterborough. The county council consists of 61 councillors, representing 59 electoral divisions. The council is based at New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald, near Huntingdon. It is part of the East of England Local Government Association and a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
since 21 Feb 2022
Cambridgeshire County Council | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Dr Stephen Moir since 21 Feb 2022 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 61 councillors |
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Political groups |
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Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 1 May 2025 |
| Meeting place | |
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| New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon | |
| Website | |
www | |
Since May 2025, it has been run by a majority administration of Liberal Democrats.
History
Cambridgeshire County Council was first formed in 1889 as a result of the Local Government Act 1888 as one of two county councils covering Cambridgeshire; the other was the Isle of Ely County Council. In 1965, the two councils were merged to form Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council.
This arrangement lasted until 1974, when, following the Local Government Act 1972, Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely were merged with Huntingdon and Peterborough to form a new non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire under the control of a newly constituted Cambridgeshire County Council. The first elections to the new authority were in April 1973, and the council took office on 1 April 1974.
From its re-creation in 1974 until 1998, the county council administered the entire county of Cambridgeshire. In 1998, Peterborough City Council became a unitary authority, thus outside the area of the county council. For ceremonial, geographic, and certain administrative purposes, however, Peterborough continues to be associated with and work in collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council.[2] Since 2017, the council has been a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, led by the directly-elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.[3]
The council is responsible for public services such as education, transport, highways, heritage, social care, libraries, trading standards, and waste management.[4]
District councils
The county council is the upper-tier of local government, below which are five councils with responsibility for local services such as housing, planning applications, licensing, council tax collection and rubbish collection. This arrangement will be replaced with unitary authorities after Local Government Reorganisation in 2027-28. The districts of Cambridgeshire are:
Political control
Following the 2025 Cambridgeshire County Council election the Liberal Democrats won a majority of the council's seats.[5] They sit in a majority political group with an Independent councillor.[6]
Political control of the county council since the reforms of the Local Government Act 1972 took effect on 1 April 1974 has been as follows:[7]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| No overall control | 1974–1977 | |
| Conservative | 1977–1985 | |
| No overall control | 1985–1989 | |
| Conservative | 1989–1993 | |
| No overall control | 1993–1997 | |
| Conservative | 1997–2013 | |
| No overall control | 2013–2017 | |
| Conservative | 2017–2021 | |
| No overall control | 2021–2025 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2025-present | |
Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1997 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Walters[8][9] | Conservative | 13 May 1997[10] | 15 May 2007 | |
| Shona Johnstone[9] | Conservative | 15 May 2007 | 12 Nov 2007 | |
| Keith Walters[11][12] | Conservative | 23 Nov 2007 | May 2008 | |
| Jill Tuck[13][14] | Conservative | 13 May 2008 | May 2011 | |
| Nick Clarke[15][16] | Conservative | 17 May 2011 | May 2013 | |
| Martin Curtis[17][18] | Conservative | 21 May 2013 | 13 May 2014 | |
| Steve Count[18][19] | Conservative | 13 May 2014 | May 2021 | |
| Lucy Nethsingha[20] | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2021 | ||
Composition
Following the 2025 election, and subsequent changes up to June 2026, the composition of the council is:[21][22][23]
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 32 | |
| Conservative | 10 | |
| Reform | 8 | |
| Labour | 5 | |
| Green | 3 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
| Vacant | 1 | |
| Total | 61 | |
The Liberal Democrats and one Independent sit together as the majority Liberal Democrat and Independent Group.[24]
In October 2025, Councillor Des Watt left Reform UK to sit as an independent.[25] This left the Conservatives as the Main Opposition on the Council. In January 2026, Watt would briefly join Advance UK,[26] before again becoming an independent in March.[27]
In February 2026, Independent Councillor Tom Sanderson joined the Liberal Democrats.[28]
In April 2026, Reform UK Councillor Andy Osborn was disqualified from office under the Representation of the People Act, after publishing a false statement about a Conservative candidate during the election campaign. The resulting by-election was narrowly held by Reform UK with a majority of 26 to the Conservative candidate.[29][30]
In May 2026, the Reform UK Councillor for Ramsey and Bury, James Sidlow, resigned after 1 year. A by-election will be held on 16 July.[31]
The next scheduled election is due on 3 May 2029.[32] Expected local government reorganisation would mean that County Council will cease to exist on 1 April 2028.[33]
Premises
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Until 2021, the county council had its offices and meeting place in Cambridge, being based at different times at the Guildhall, County Hall, and Shire Hall.[34]
In 2021 the council vacated Shire Hall and left Cambridge, moving to New Shire Hall at Alconbury Weald in the parish of The Stukeleys, north-west of Huntingdon.[35] The first committee meeting to be held at New Shire Hall was in September 2021.[36] An official opening ceremony for New Shire Hall was held on 8 July 2022.[37]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2017, the council has comprised 61 councillors representing 59 electoral divisions, with most divisions electing one councillor but two divisions (March North & Waldersley and Sawston & Shelford) elect two councillors each. Elections are held every four years.[38]
Councillors and electoral divisions
| Electoral Division | Parishes[39] | Councillor[39] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey | Abbey | Elliot Tong | Green | |
| Alconbury and Kimbolton | Alconbury, Alconbury Weston, Barham & Woolley, Brington & Molesworth, Buckworth, Bythorn & Keyston, Catworth, Covington, Easton, Ellington, Great Gidding, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Hamerton & Steeple Gidding, Kimbolton, Leighton, Little Gidding, Old Weston, Perry, Spaldwick, Stow Longa, Tilbrook, Upton & Coppingford and Winwick | Ian Gardener | Conservative | |
| Arbury | Arbury | Mike Black | Labour | |
| Bar Hill | Bar Hill, Boxworth, Dry Drayton, Girton, Lolworth | Edna Murphy | Liberal Democrats | |
| Brampton and Buckden | Brampton, Buckden, Diddington, Grafham, Offord Cluny & Offord D’Arcy and Southoe & Midloe | Liam Beckett | Liberal Democrats | |
| Burwell | Burwell, Reach, Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior | Yannifer Malinowski | Liberal Democrats | |
| Cambourne | Bourn, Cambourne, Caxton, Little Gransden and Longstowe | Lucy Nethsingha | Liberal Democrats | |
| Castle | Castle | Rory Clark | Liberal Democrats | |
| Chatteris | Chatteris | Daniel Divine | Reform | |
| Cherry Hinton | Cherry Hinton | Bryony Goodliffe | Labour | |
| Chesterton | Chesterton | Ian Manning | Liberal Democrats | |
| Cottenham and Willingham | Cottenham, Rampton and Willingham | Yasmin Deter | Liberal Democrats | |
| Duxford | Babraham, Duxford, Fowlmere, Great Abington, Hinxton, Ickleton, Little Abington, Pampisford, Thriplow, Whittlesford | Peter McDonald | Liberal Democrats | |
| Ely North | Ely | Alison Whelan | Liberal Democrats | |
| Ely South | Ely, Stuntney | Christine Whelan | Liberal Democrats | |
| Fulbourn | Fen Ditton, Fulbourn, Great Wilbraham, Horningsea, Little Wilbraham, Stow cum Quy, Teversham | Matthew Morgan | Liberal Democrats | |
| Gamlingay | Arrington, Barrington, Croydon, Gamlingay, Guilden Morden, Steeple Morden, Tadlow, Hatley, Shingay-cum-Wendy, Abington Pigotts, Litlington Orwell, Wimpole | James Stuart | Liberal Democrats | |
| Godmanchester and Huntingdon South | Graham Wilson | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Hardwick | Barton, Caldecote, Childerley, Comberton, Coton, Grantchester, Hardwick, Kingston, Madingley, Toft | Christopher Morris | Liberal Democrats | |
| Histon and Impington | Ros Hathorn | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Huntingdon North and Hartford | Leedo George | Conservative | ||
| Huntingdon West | Tom Sanderson | Liberal Democrats | ||
| King's Hedges | King's Hedges | Elisa Meschini | Labour | |
| Linton | Balsham, Bartlow, Carlton, Castle Camps, Hildersham, Horseheath, Linton, Shudy Camps, West Wickham, West Wratting, Weston Colville | Henry Batchelor | Liberal Democrats | |
| Littleport | Littleport | John Wells | Reform | |
| Longstanton, Northstowe and Over | Luis Navarro | Liberal Democrats | ||
| March North and Waldersey | March | Stefan Fisher | Reform | |
| Colin Galbraith | Reform | |||
| March South and Rural | Benwick, March | Christopher Thornhill | Reform | |
| Market | Market | Alex Beckett | Liberal Democrats | |
| Melbourn & Bassingbourn | Foxton, Great and Little Chishill, Heydon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth | Adam Bostanci | Liberal Democrats | |
| Newnham | Newnham | Peter Rees | Green | |
| Papworth and Swavesey | Conington (S), Croxton, Elsworth, Eltisley, Fen Drayton, Graveley, Knapwell, Papworth Everard, Papworth St Agnes, Swavesey | Chris Poulton | Liberal Democrats | |
| Petersfield | Petersfield | Labour | ||
| Queen Edith's | Queen Edith's | Karen Young | Liberal Democrats | |
| Ramsey and Bury | Ramsey | James Sidlow | Reform | |
| Roman Bank and Peckover | Gorefield, Leverington, Newton (F), Tydd St Giles, Wisbech | Vacant | ||
| Romsey | Romsey | Darren Green | Green | |
| Sawston and Shelford | Great Shelford, Harston, Hauxton, Little Shelford, Newton (S), Sawston, Stapleford | Laurence Damary-Homan | Liberal Democrats | |
| Peter Fane | Liberal Democrats | |||
| Sawtry and Stilton | Barham and Woolley, Brington and Molesworth, Buckworth, Bythorn and Keyston, Catworth, Conington (H), Easton, Ellington, Glatton, Great Gidding, Hamerton, Leighton, Little Gidding, Old Weston, Sawtry, Spaldwick, Steeple Gidding, Stow Longa, Upton and Coppingford, Winwick | Simon Bywater | Conservative | |
| Soham North and Isleham | Chippenham, Fordham, Isleham, Kennett, Snailwell, Soham, Wicken |
Mark Goldsack | Conservative | |
| Soham South and Haddenham | Tom Hawker-Dawson | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Somersham and Earith | Bluntisham, Broughton, Colne, Earith, Old Hurst, Pidley cum Fenton, Somersham, Woodhurst | Charlotte Lowe | Conservative | |
| St Ives North and Wyton | Holywell-cum-Needingworth, St Ives |
Julie Kerr |
Independent | |
| St Ives South and Needingworth | Alex Bulat | Labour | ||
| St Neots East and Gransden | St Neots | Sarah Caine | Liberal Democrats | |
| St Neots Eynesbury | Ricky Ioannides | Reform | ||
| St Neots Priory Park and Little Paxton | Robin Wyatt | Liberal Democrats | ||
| St Neots The Eatons | Geoffrey Seeff | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Sutton | Coveney, Downham, Mepal, Sutton, Wentworth, Witcham, Witchford | Lorna Dupré | Liberal Democrats | |
| The Hemingfords & Fenstanton | Fenstanton, Hemingford Abbots, Hemingford Grey, Hilton, Houghton and Wyton | David Keane | Conservative | |
| Trumpington | David Levien | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Warboys & the Stukeleys | Abbots Ripton, Bury, Houghton and Wyton, Kings Ripton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys, Wistow, Wood Walton |
Ross Martin |
Conservative | |
| Waterbeach | Landbeach, Milton, Waterbeach | Anna Bradnam | Liberal Democrats | |
| Whittlesey North | Whittlesey | Chris Boden | Conservative | |
| Whittlesey South | Whittlesey | Michael Fisher | Reform | |
| Wisbech East | Wisbech | Samantha Hoy | Conservative | |
| Wisbech West | Wisbech | Steve Tierney | Conservative | |
| Woodditton | Ashley, Bottisham, Brinkley, Burrough Green, Cheveley, Dullingham, Kirtling, Lode, Stetchworth, Westley Waterless, Woodditton | Jonny Edge | Liberal Democrats | |
| Yaxley and Farcet | Yaxley | Des Watt | Independent | |
Coat of arms
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The council was granted a coat of arms on 1 November 1976. The three wavy blue lines represent the county's three main rivers of the Cam, Great Ouse and Nene, and the two straight lines represent the many drainage ditches in the Fens. Other parts of the design represent different parts of the county and the council's predecessors: the supporters are great bustards, birds which were formerly common in the Fens, the crossed keys are a symbol of Saint Peter, representing Peterborough, and the hunting horn is a symbol of the former county of Huntingdonshire. The birds stand on books representing the University of Cambridge.[40]