Frequently asked questions

You should contact your local District Collection and Assessment Teams.  Below are some useful telephone numbers, and links:

• City Council - 01223 457 790 or 457 760
• East Cambs - 0845 072 6000
• Fenland  - 01354 654 321
• Huntingdonshire  - 01480 388 030
• South Cambs  - 0345 045 0064

For general information about comparable council tax levels (at Band D) across the county use the Council Tax Map link on the left of the page. 

Cambridgeshire County Council Council Tax contact telephone number - 01223 715 333.

In the past, there has not always been a direct link between the inflation we have faced and nationally published inflation indicators such as the Retail Price Index. Inflation faced by the Council has often been higher due to the more specific nature of the goods and services that we have to purchase. But we have taken specific action in the last few years to manage these inflation pressures down, both now and in future. When estimating the pressure from inflation, therefore, we have taken the same approach as last year. Estimates of 2012-13 inflation have been based on indices and trends, and they include specific pressures such as the increase in National Insurance contributions. Our medium-term plans assume inflation will run at around 0.5% above Treasury forecasts, having taken account of the mix of goods and services we purchase, and improved contracting. We estimate that the cost of inflation in 2012-13 will be £10.8m, or 2.3% of our budget (excluding Schools).

Demography is a term used to include all demand changes arising from: increased numbers (e.g. clients served, road kilometres); increased complexity (e.g. more intensive packages of care as clients age); and any catch-up from previous years where demography has been underestimated. This will cost £17.6m or 3.7% extra in 2012-13.

In order to keep the council tax increase at 2.95% we have made £42.2m of savings.

Pension costs represent 3.9% of the Council’s total spending in 2008-09. Therefore, of the Band D council tax of £979.11, an amount of £38.50 was contributed to the Council’s pension fund.

The contribution is determined by the Council’s actuary in accordance with Government Regulations, and this includes an amount required to meet the deficit on the fund. The total contribution, and the element relating to the deficit, compare favourably with other local authority pension funds, i.e. the contribution rate is below the average for local authority pension funds.

Schools are now funded separately from the rest of the County Council. From 2006-07, the Government untied schools’ funding from general local authority funding and ringfenced it in a grant called the 'Dedicated Schools Grant', all of which must be passed on to schools. The grant is still managed by local authorities but schools are now funded entirely from central government grant with no funding coming from council tax.

The reason council tax hasn’t gone down because of the new direct grant is that the government previously gave the money as part of the general grant (RSG). So the new direct grant has replaced a portion of the general grant. There is therefore no effect on council tax.

The County Council’s element of the council tax is only part of the overall council tax you pay. The proportion of your council tax that goes to the County Council will vary according to the precept set by your local district and parish councils. On average, about 71% of the overall council tax bill pays for County Council services including schools and education, roads and transport, social care for the most vulnerable in society, libraries, trading standards, waste disposal and recycling and support for the environment.

The reason for this is largely historical:

Cambridgeshire’s council tax started off as one of the lowest and although in recent years Cambridgeshire council tax increases have been above inflation, this has also been the case elsewhere in the country.

In order to bring Cambridgeshire’s council tax up to the average for all Shire authorities we would have to make above average year on year increases in council tax. The speed at which this can be achieved is also constrained by the Government’s council tax capping regime. The Government has indicated that it will cap any local authority which tries to raise council tax by more than 5%.

However, we do not believe the council tax payer, especially older people and those on fixed incomes, should generally have to pay above the average increase each year.

Yes, the County Council aims to become more efficient all the time. It is already one of the lowest spending county councils in England and, in anticipation of a tough funding settlement, we have been examining all areas of expenditure, squeezing out efficiency savings and reducing management costs in all services.