Cambridgeshire County Council is launching a public engagement survey today (Friday, 24 October), to gather residents’ views on where the council should prioritise spending and savings in the years ahead.
Every year, the council must set a budget which balances spending needs against income from council tax (around one-third of council funding), business rates, government grants, and service fees. These funds support a wide range of services including social care, education, libraries, highways and transport, environmental services, and waste management.
With rising costs, a growing population, and increasing demands – particularly in children’s and adults’ social care – the council faces difficult decisions about how to allocate resources. More than half of its spending currently goes toward social care, while other major areas of spending include SEND, transport, and the environment.
The council’s Business Plan will set out a budget for the 2026-27 to 2028-29 financial years. Our Strategic Framework, which sets out our seven ambitions that will help us create a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire, is one of the guiding principles that informs the business planning and budgeting process.
Our annual Quality of Life survey is also used to inform decision making. This year’s survey captured the views of 6,796 residents and found that in general happiness was at its highest point (84%) since the survey began. However, 87% of responding residents felt personally concerned about continued cost of living pressures, with loneliness and mental health also areas of concern especially for younger people.
This new engagement survey, which will close on Monday 24 November, asks residents for their views on how the council should approach budget priorities. Respondents will be asked to consider questions such as whether the council should be looking to increase its income or decrease its spending on some of our services.
Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Each year we have a legal duty to set a balanced budget, and over recent years that process has become increasingly challenging. This year we know that we will need to make difficult decisions – so we want residents to help guide where we spend and where we save.
“We will come back in December with specific proposals for our draft Business Plan and Budget, that will balance a need to decrease spending in some areas while continuing to prioritise the services that matter to our residents and help us to continue creating a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.”
Residents’ feedback from the survey will inform discussion of the draft Business Plan and Budget at the meeting of the council’s Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee on Thursday,11 December.
We hope as many residents of Cambridgeshire as possible will take part in the survey, making their voice heard to help us shape the future of vital local services.
Follow this link to complete the survey.
