Local Government within Cambridgeshire is discharged through a number of bodies, some of which are centred around specific communities, others of which have much larger remits spanning some or all of Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire County Council as the ‘upper-tier’ local authority for the county provides services across the five districts, or 'lower-tier' areas of Fenland, East Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire County Council
The County Council’s services include, but are not limited to:
- Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration
- HM Coroner’s Services and Inquests
- Education including Education Admissions and Place Planning
- Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Services
- Youth Justice and Youth Participation
- Fostering and Adoption Services including the Regional Adoption Agency
- Home to School Transport
- Statutory Highways Authority including On-Street Parking, Traffic Management, Street Lighting, Highways Maintenance and Road Safety.
- The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and Park and Ride Services
- Libraries including Archives and Heritage
- Children’s and Adults Social Work and Social Care Services
- Public Health, including Health Protection
- Emergency Planning and Civil Contingencies response
- Strategic planning, Natural Environment and Archaeology
- Flood Risk Management
- Trading Standards
- Waste Disposal and Household Waste Recycling Centres
District councils in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is made up of five districts containing a total of 61 electoral divisions.
Your local district council is responsible for services including:
- Council Tax Payments and Benefits
- Household Bin Collections
- Housing and Housing Benefits
- Council Leisure Facilities
- Environmental Health
- Residential Planning
Contact your local district council using the following links.
- Fenland District Council
- East Cambridgeshire District Council
- Huntingdonshire District Council
- Cambridge City Council
- South Cambridgeshire District Council
Town and parish councils in Cambridgeshire
Town and parish councils are responsible for the following:
- Looking after Community Buildings
- Open Spaces
- Allotments
- Play Areas
- Bus Shelters
There are no parish councils in the Cambridge City Council area. You can find details of your town and parish councils from the relevant district councils.
- Fenland parish and town councillors
- East Cambridgeshire parish and town councillors
- Huntingdonshire parish and town councillors
- South Cambridgeshire parish and town councillors
The following parish and town councils have set up their own websites:
- Arrington
- Bury
- Cheveley
- City of Ely
- Comberton
- Cottenham
- Elsworth
- Folksworth & Washingley
- Godmanchester Town Council
- Great Abington
- Great Shelford
- Hatley
- Hildersham
- Histon
- Holywell-cum-Needingworth
- Huntingdon
- Impington
- Milton
- Over Parish Council
- Papworth Everard
- Soham Town Council
- St Neots
- Swavesey
- Upwood and The Raveleys
- Waterbeach
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA)
On 3 March 2017, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority was established as a Mayoral Combined Authority for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough region. The purpose of the Combined Authority is to lead the delivery of the Devolution Deal for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The Combined Authority’s Mission is to make life better, healthier, and fairer for all.
"We strive to serve our community by working cooperatively and leading with compassion. We are aiming for growth – but good growth. We want to close the gap in healthy life expectancy and salaries, increase access to employment and education, protect our environment and boost innovation."
The Combined Authority works with all the local councils, the Business Board (Local Enterprise Partnership), other local public services, Government departments and agencies, our universities, further education and skills providers and businesses to grow the local and national economy.
The Combined Authority is the statutory Transport Authority for the whole of the region and works closely with the two statutory Highway Authorities, Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. The Combined Authority leads the development and delivery of the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan for the region and the associated Transport and Infrastructure improvements, including leadership for public transport such as Bus services.
The Combined Authority also leads the region’s work to support business growth, inward investment, and economic development activities, as well commissioning and overseeing the delivery of key devolved government functions like skills, adult learning, and apprenticeships.
The Combined Authority is led by a directly elected Mayor and a Board consisting of the Council Leaders or the appointed representatives of the seven local authorities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the Chair of the Business Board, the elected Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Chair of the NHS Integrated Care Board for the region.
The current directly elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, was elected on 8 May 2021.
