South Cambridgeshire

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:

• Chesterton Rural District
• South Cambridgeshire Rural District The new district was named South Cambridgeshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.

Governance

Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrat : Other parties (10) : Conservatives (8) : Independent (2)

South Cambridgeshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Cambridgeshire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

Political control

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2018 election.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:

Leadership

A leader of the council has been appointed since 2001. The leaders have been:

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2025, the composition of the council was:

The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2018 the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Key policies

Four day working week

In January 2023, the council began a controversial four day working week trial. This is not a compressed hours regime but rather staff work 80% of their hours for 100% of their pay and are expected to work more efficiently and therefore complete all their work in the reduced time.

The Conservative minister at the time, Lee Rowley wrote to the council leader “ask that you end your experiment immediately” and said he had concerns about the “value for money” for local taxpayers.

The scheme became particularly controversial when it emerged that the council's CEO was also writing a PhD thesis on flexible working, a fact that had not been earlier disclosed.

After 18 months of running the trial the council claimed reduced staff turnover, financial savings and little impact on service levels.

Premises

South Cambridgeshire District Council's headquarters are located in South Cambridgeshire Hall in the Cambourne Business Park in Cambourne. The district council's headquarters moved from Cambridge to Cambourne in 2004.

Transportation

Cambridge Airport is located in South Cambridgeshire.

The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway passes through South Cambridgeshire.

Economy

ScotAirways had its head office on the grounds of Cambridge Airport in South Cambridgeshire.

Residents

Jenny Jefferies an author of several cook books and member of the Guild of Food Writers.

Parishes

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Cambourne and Northstowe take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.

List of settlements

Abington Piggotts – Arrington – Babraham – Balsham – Bar Hill – Barrington – Bartlow – Barton – Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth – Bourn – Boxworth – Caldecote – Cambourne – Carlton – Castle Camps – Caxton – Childerley – Chishills – Chittering – Comberton – Conington – Coton – Cottenham – Croxton – Croydon – Dry Drayton – Duxford – Elsworth – Eltisley – Fen Ditton – Fen Drayton – Fowlmere – Foxton – Fulbourn – Gamlingay – Girton – Grantchester – Graveley – Great Abington – Great Eversden – Great Shelford – Great Wilbraham – Guilden Morden – Hardwick – Harlton – Harston – Haslingfield – Hatley – Hauxton – Heydon – Hildersham – Hinxton – Histon – Horseheath – Horningsea – Ickleton – Impington – Kingston – Knapwell – Landbeach – Linton – Litlington – Little Abington – Little Eversden – Little Gransden – Little Shelford – Little Wilbraham – Lolworth – Longstanton – Longstowe – Madingley – Melbourn – Meldreth – Milton – Newton – Northstowe – Oakington – Orchard Park – Orwell – Over – Pampisford – Papworth Everard – Papworth St Agnes – Rampton – Sawston – Shepreth – Shingay cum Wendy – Shudy Camps – Six Mile Bottom – Stapleford – Steeple Morden – Stow-cum-Quy – Swavesey – Tadlow – Teversham – Thriplow & Heathfield – Toft – Waterbeach – West Wickham – West Wratting – Weston Colville – Westwick – Whaddon – Whittlesford – Willingham – Wimpole

Arms

(Dutch for "Nothing Without Work")

The council's coat of arms contains a tangential reference to the coat of arms of the University of Cambridge by way of the coat of arms of Cambridge suburb Chesterton. The motto, Niet Zonder Arbyt, means "Nothing Without Work" (or effort) in pre-standard Dutch; the only Dutch motto in British civic heraldry. It was originally the motto of Cornelius Vermuyden, who drained the Fens in the 17th century. The council uses a monochrome depiction of its coat of arms as its logo.

References

References

1. "South Cambridgeshire Local Authority".
2. "Non-Metropolitan District council population 2011". Office for National Statistics.
3. "Greater Cambridge Local Plan".
4. {{cite legislation UK. (2017)
5. "BEST AND WORST PLACES TO LIVE 2006".
6. (August 2022). "Halifax survey".
7. (2 September 2022). "South Cambridgeshire Council 'first' to trial four-day working week". BBC News.
8. Hussen, Dahaba Ali. (1 July 2023). "Minister orders halt to Cambridgeshire council's four-day week trial". The Guardian.
9. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
10. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
11. (28 May 2025). "South Cambridgeshire Council elects new chair and vice-chair". Royston Crow.
12. (4 July 2019). "South Cambridgeshire District Council appoint new chief executive". Cambridge Independent.
13. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
14. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
15. "50 years of South Cambridgeshire District Council".
16. "Council minutes, 26 May 2005".
17. "Council minutes, 25 May 2006".
18. "Council minutes, 25 January 2007".
19. (11 May 2016). "Council leader to make way for 'fresh blood'". BBC News.
20. "Council minutes, 19 May 2016".
21. (11 January 2020). "By-elections loom as South Cambs Conservatives leader Peter Topping steps down". Royston Crow.
22. "Council minutes, 23 May 2018".
23. "South Cambridgeshire". Thorncliffe.
24. {{cite legislation UK. (2017)
25. [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/01/minister-orders-halt-to-cambridgeshire-councils-four-day-week-trial Minister orders halt to council's four day week trial]
26. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/02/cambridge-council-boss-four-day-week-accused-thesis/ Four day week chief exec writing thesis on flexible working]
27. [https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/08/largest-uk-public-sector-trial-four-day-week-sees-huge-benefits-research-finds- Largest UK public sector four-day week trial finds benefits]
28. "[http://www.scambs.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/Howtofindus/default.htm How to find us] {{webarchive. link. (23 October 2010." South Cambridgeshire. Retrieved on 6 June 2010.)
29. "[http://www.scambs.gov.uk/documents/retrieve.htm?pk_document=1464 Local Plan 2004 map 27b – Cambridge Airport]." South Cambridgeshire District Council. Retrieved on 6 July 2010.
30. "[http://www.scotairways.com/contactus.asp Contact Us]." [[ScotAirways]]. Retrieved on 29 September 2009.
31. "Parish council contact details".
32. "SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL". Robert Young.
33. "South Cambs coat of arms".
34. "Chesterton coat of arms".