Cambridgeshire County Council

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.

Cambridgeshire County Council
Type
Type	County council
Leadership
Chair	Sebastian Kindersley, Liberal Democrat since 16 May 2023[1]
Leader	Lucy Nethsingha, Liberal Democrat since 18 May 2021
Chief Executive	Stephen Moir since 20 Feb 2022
Structure
Seats	61 councillors
Political groups	Administration (36)   Liberal Democrats (23)   Labour (10)   Independent (2)   St Neots Independent (1) Other parties (25)   Conservative (22)   Independent (3)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	6 May 2021
Next election	1 May 2025
Meeting place
New Shire Hall, Emery Crescent, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28  4YE
Website
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Since May 2021, it has been run by a joint administration of the Liberal Democrats, Labour Party, and independent groups.

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]

In 2024, the council conceded that it had discriminated against Lizzie Pitt, a social worker, by initiating a disciplinary process against her following her gender-critical statements made at an LGBT support group. Pitt described the concession as a "win for the right side of history". The council admitted liability and agreed to pay compensation of £54,000.^[5][6]

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 2021 Cambridgeshire County Council election a joint administration formed comprising the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and independent councillors.^[7]

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:^[8]

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–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1997 have been:^[9]

Councillor	Party		From	To
Keith Walters[10]		Conservative	1997	15 May 2007
Shona Johnston[11][12]		Conservative	15 May 2007	12 Nov 2007
Keith Walters		Conservative	11 Dec 2007	May 2008
Jill Tuck[13]		Conservative	13 May 2008	May 2011
Nick Clarke[14]		Conservative	17 May 2011	5 May 2013
Martin Curtis[15]		Conservative	21 May 2013	13 May 2014
Steve Count		Conservative	13 May 2014	18 May 2021
Lucy Nethsingha		Liberal Democrats	18 May 2021

Composition

Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to March 2024, the composition of the council was:^[16][17]

Party		Councillors
	Liberal Democrats	23
	Conservative	22
	Labour	9
	Independent	6
	St Neots Independent Group	1
Total		61

Three of the independent councillors sit together as a group, the other three are not aligned to any group.^[18] The next election is due in 2025.

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.^[19]

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.^[20] The first committee meeting to be held at New Shire Hall was in September 2021.^[21] An official opening ceremony for New Shire Hall was held on 8 July 2022.^[22]

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.^[23]

Councillors and electoral divisions

Electoral Division	Parishes[24]	Councillor[24]		Party
Abbey	Abbey		Alex Bulat	Labour
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		Hilary Condron	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		Ken Billington	Conservative
Burwell	Burwell, Reach, Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior		Josh Schumann	Independent
Cambourne	Bourn, Cambourne, Little Gransden and Longstowe		Mark Howell	Conservative
Castle	Castle		Catherine Rae	Labour
Chatteris	Chatteris		Anne Hay	Conservative
Cherry Hinton	Cherry Hinton		Bryony Goodliffe	Labour
Chesterton	Chesterton		Gerri Bird	Labour
Cottenham and Willingham	Cottenham, Rampton and Willingham		Neil Gough	Liberal Democrats
Duxford	Babraham, Duxford, Fowlmere, Great Abington, Hinxton, Ickleton, Little Abington, Pampisford, Thriplow, Whittlesford		Peter McDonald	Liberal Democrat
Ely North	Ely		Alison Whelan	Liberal Democrat
Ely South	Ely, Stuntney		Piers Coutts	Liberal Democrats
Fulbourn	Fen Ditton, Fulbourn, Great Wilbraham, Horningsea, Little Wilbraham, Stow cum Quy, Teversham		Claire Daunton	Liberal Democrat
Gamlingay	Arrington, Barrington, Croydon, Gamlingay, Guilden Morden, Steeple Morden, Tadlow, Hatley, Shingay-cum-Wendy, Abington Pigotts, Litlington Orwell, Wimpole		Sebastian Kindersley	Liberal Democrat
Godmanchester and Huntingdon South			Graham Wilson	Liberal Democrat
Hardwick	Barton, Caldecote, Childerley, Comberton, Coton, Grantchester, Hardwick, Kingston, Madingley, Toft		Michael Atkins	Liberal Democrat
Histon and Impington			Ros Hathorn	Liberal Democrat
Huntingdon North and Hartford			Jonas King	Independent
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 Democrat
Littleport	Littleport		David Ambrose Smith	Conservative
Longstanton, Northstowe and Over			Firouz Thompson	Liberal Democrats
March North and Waldersey	March		Steve Count	Conservative
			Janet French	Conservative
March South and Rural	Benwick, March		John Gowling	Conservative
Market	Market		Nick Gay	Labour
Melbourn & Bassingbourn	Foxton, Great and Little Chishill, Heydon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Shepreth		Susan van de Ven	Liberal Democrat
Newnham	Newnham		Lucy Nethsingha	Liberal Democrat
Papworth and Swavesey	Conington (S), Croxton, Elsworth, Eltisley, Fen Drayton, Graveley, Knapwell, Papworth Everard, Papworth St Agnes, Swavesey		Mandy Smith	Conservative
Petersfield	Petersfield		Richard Howitt	Labour
Queen Edith's	Queen Edith's		Alex Beckett	Liberal Democrat
Ramsey and Bury	Ramsey		Adela Costello	Conservative
Roman Bank and Peckover	Gorefield, Leverington, Newton (F), Tydd St Giles, Wisbech		Simon King	Conservative
Romsey	Romsey		Neil Shailer	Labour
Sawston and Shelford	Great Shelford, Harston, Hauxton, Little Shelford, Newton (S), Sawston, Stapleford		Brian Milnes	Liberal Democrat
			Maria King	Liberal Democrat
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			Dan Schumann	Conservative
Somersham and Earith	Bluntisham, Broughton, Colne, Earith, Old Hurst, Pidley cum Fenton, Somersham, Woodhurst		Steve Criswell	Conservative
St Ives North and Wyton	Holywell-cum-Needingworth, St Ives		Ryan Fuller	Conservative
St Ives South and Needingworth			Kevin Reynolds	Conservative
St Neots East and Gransden	St Neots		Stephen Ferguson	Independent
St Neots Eynesbury			Simone Taylor	Independent
St Neots Priory Park and Little Paxton			Keith Prentice	Independent
St Neots The Eatons			Geoff Seeff	Liberal Democrat
Sutton	Coveney, Downham, Mepal, Sutton, Wentworth, Witcham, Witchford		Lorna Dupré	Liberal Democrat
The Hemingfords & Fenstanton	Fenstanton, Hemingford Abbots, Hemingford Grey, Hilton, Houghton and Wyton		Douglas Dew	Liberal Democrat
Trumpington			Philippa Slatter	Liberal Democrat
Warboys & the Stukeleys	Abbots Ripton, Bury, Houghton and Wyton, Kings Ripton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys, Wistow, Wood Walton		Steve Cortney	Conservative
Waterbeach	Landbeach, Milton, Waterbeach		Anna Bradnam	Liberal Democrat
Whittlesey North	Whittlesey		Chris Boden	Conservative
Whittlesey South	Whittlesey		David Connor	Conservative
Wisbech East	Wisbech		Samantha Hoy	Conservative
Wisbech West	Wisbech		Steven Tierney	Conservative
Woodditton	Ashley, Bottisham, Brinkley, Burrough Green, Cheveley, Dullingham, Kirtling, Lode, Stetchworth, Westley Waterless, Woodditton		Alan Sharp	Conservative
Yaxley and Farcet	Yaxley		Andrew Wood	Liberal Democrat

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.) 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.^[25]

See also

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

References

1. Davies, Debbie (24 May 2023). "Cllr Sebastian Kindersley is named as new county council chair". Cambs Times. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
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. Henderson, Cameron (2 August 2024). "Council admits discriminating against social worker over her gender-critical views". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
6. Moss, Rob (17 September 2024). "Judge urges council to mandate 'freedom of belief' training". personneltoday.com. Personnel Today. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
7. "Lib Dems, Labour and Independent groups agree joint administration for Cambridgeshire County Council". Cambridge Independent. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
8. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
9. "Council minutes". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
10. "County council leader steps down". BBC News. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
11. "Shona Johnstone resigns". Hunts Post. 12 November 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
12. "COUNTY COUNCIL (EXTRAORDINARY MEETING): MINUTES". cambridgeshire.cmis.uk.com/. Cambridgeshire County Council. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
13. "Jill Tuck named new county council leader". Hunts Post. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
14. "Nick Clarke new leader of Cambridgeshire County Council". South Cambridgeshire Conservatives. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
15. "Cambridgeshire's council leader is Tory Martin Curtis". BBC News. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
16. "Cambridgeshire County Council". BBC News. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
17. Elworthy, John (25 April 2023). "Conservative at Cambridgeshire County Council leaves Conservative group". Cambs News. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
18. "County Councillors". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
19. "The city of Cambridge: Public buildings | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
20. elworthy, john (15 February 2021). "What's in a name you ask?". Cambs Times. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
21. "Children and Young People Committee, 14 September 2021". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
22. Mason, Daniel (12 July 2022). "County council's £18m headquarters officially opens for business". Ely Standard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
23. "The Cambridgeshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2016/1222, retrieved 13 June 2023
24. "Council and committee meetings - Cambridgeshire County Council > Councillors". cmis.cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
25. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links

• Cambridgeshire County Council

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