Cambridgeshire County Council

Cambridgeshire County Council
Type
Type	County council
Leadership
Chair	Peter McDonald, Liberal Democrat since 20 May 2025 [1]
Leader	Lucy Nethsingha, Liberal Democrat since 18 May 2021
Chief Executive	Stephen Moir since 21 Feb 2022
Structure
Seats	61 councillors
Political groups	Administration (31)   Liberal Democrats (31) Other parties (30)   Conservative (10)   Reform UK (10)   Labour (5)   Green (3)   Independent (2)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	1 May 2025
Meeting place
New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon
Website
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

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 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. The districts of Cambridgeshire are:

• Cambridge City Council
• East Cambridgeshire District Council
• Fenland District Council
• Huntingdonshire District Council
• South Cambridgeshire District Council

Political control

Following the 2025 Cambridgeshire County Council election the Liberal Democrats won a majority of the council's seats. ^[5]

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: ^[6]

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 [7] [8]		Conservative	1997	15 May 2007
Shona Johnstone [8]		Conservative	15 May 2007	12 Nov 2007
Keith Walters [9] [10]		Conservative	23 Nov 2007	May 2008
Jill Tuck [11] [12]		Conservative	13 May 2008	May 2011
Nick Clarke [13] [14]		Conservative	17 May 2011	May 2013
Martin Curtis [15] [16]		Conservative	21 May 2013	13 May 2014
Steve Count [16] [17]		Conservative	13 May 2014	May 2021
Lucy Nethsingha [18]		Liberal Democrats	18 May 2021

Composition

Following the 2025 election, the composition of the council is: ^[19]

Party		Councillors
	Liberal Democrats	31
	Conservative	10
	Reform UK	10
	Labour	5
	Green	3
	Independent	2
Total		61

The next election is due on 3 May 2029. ^[20]

Premises

Shire Hall, Castle Hill, Cambridge: Council's headquarters 1932–2021.

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. ^[21]

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. ^[22] The first committee meeting to be held at New Shire Hall was in September 2021. ^[23] An official opening ceremony for New Shire Hall was held on 8 July 2022. ^[24]

Elections

See also: Cambridgeshire County Council 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. ^[25]

Councillors and electoral divisions

Electoral Division	Parishes [26]	Councillor [26]		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	Independent
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		Richard Howitt	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		Andy Osborn	Reform
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	Conservative
St Ives South and Needingworth			Alex Bulat	Conservative
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	Reform

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Cambridgeshire County Council

Notes Granted on 1 November 1976. Escutcheon Or three Palets wavy alternating with two Palets Azure a Bordure Gules flory on the inner edge Or; the Shield ensigned by a Mural Crown Or. Supporters On either side a Great Bustard proper the exterior leg resting on a closed Book Gules garnished Or pendent from the neck of the dexter by a Cord Argent two keys in saltire wards uppermost uppermost and outwards Gules and from the neck of the sinister by a like Cord a Hunting Horn mouth to the dexter Or. Motto Corde uno sapientes simus (With one heart let us be men and women of understanding.) Banner the heraldic banner of the council Badge Within an Annulet ensigned by a Coronet a Bar Or between two Bars wavy Azure.

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. ^[27]

See also

• Cambridgeshire County Council elections
• UK Independence Party § Conduct of past and present councillors

References

1. "The journey ahead for Cambridgeshire will be led by the Liberal Democrats". Cambridgeshire County Council. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
2. "Fostering in Cambridgeshire". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
3. "The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2017/251, retrieved 13 June 2023
4. "Understand how your council works". www.gov.uk. HM Government . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
5. "Cambridgeshire election results". BBC News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
6. "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Cambridgeshire" in search box to see specific results.)
7. "County council leader steps down". BBC News. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
8. "Shona Johnstone resigns". Hunts Post. 12 November 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
9. "Council minutes, 23 November 2007". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
10. "Keith Walters named new County Council leader". Hunts Post. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
11. "Jill Tuck named new county council leader". Hunts Post. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
12. "Cambridgeshire County Council leader to stand down". BBC News. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
13. "Nick Clarke new leader of Cambridgeshire County Council". South Cambridgeshire Conservatives. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
14. "Cambridgeshire County Council election: Tories lose control". BBC News. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
15. "Cambridgeshire's council leader is Tory Martin Curtis". BBC News. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
16. "Cambridgeshire Conservatives announce Steve Count as next leader". Cambs Times. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
17. Hatton, Ben (9 May 2021). "Elections 2021: Conservative leader Steve Count explains why he believes Tories lost overall control of Cambridgeshire County Council". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
18. Hatton, Benjamin (20 May 2021). "Lib Dem Lucy Nethsingha officially selected as leader of Cambridgeshire County Council". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
19. "Cambridgeshire election results". BBC News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
20. "Cambridgeshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
21. "The city of Cambridge: Public buildings | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
22. elworthy, john (15 February 2021). "What's in a name you ask?". Cambs Times. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
23. "Children and Young People Committee, 14 September 2021". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
24. Mason, Daniel (12 July 2022). "County council's £18m headquarters officially opens for business". Ely Standard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
25. "The Cambridgeshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2016/1222, retrieved 13 June 2023
26. "Council and committee meetings - Cambridgeshire County Council > Councillors". cmis.cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
27. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2014.

External links

• Official website

New creation	County council 1889 – 1965	Succeeded by Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council
Preceded by Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council Huntingdon and Peterborough County Council	County council 1974 – present	Current