Residents, businesses and community organisations are being invited to share their views on a major reorganisation of local government in Cambridgeshire.
An overhaul to the structure of local authorities was announced towards the end of 2024. For H&I residents, the current two-tier system – where services are split between South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council – would be replaced with a single unitary authority.
Essentially, it means all district and county council services will be handled by a single Council. Also, more powers would potentially be handed over to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. The reorganisation does not involve Town Councils and Parish Councils.
Cambridgeshire’s councils have submitted proposals on their favoured outcomes – and now the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Development has opened a public consultation on the new structures that are on the table.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 26 March 2026. Submit your responses here…
Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape what works best for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“Local Government Reorganisation is emotive and views differ – this really matters – so we need as many people and organisations as possible to respond.”
‘Views differ’
Cambridgeshire’s councils are at odds over which structure they feel would work best for residents. The Government says it received four different proposals to consider for the county.
Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council both support creating two unitary authorities, although the boundaries would differ.
The County Council proposes one authority covering the south-east of the county – currently South Cambridgeshire, Cambridge City and East Cambridgeshire – and another covering the north-west, including Peterborough, Huntingdonshire and Fenland.
In contrast, South Cambridgeshire, Cambridge City and East Cambridgeshire councils jointly argue that the City and South Cambs should form its own unitary authority, with the remainder of the county forming the second authority.
Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, has argued the structure it proposes will “make sure homes, jobs, transport and community facilities come together in the right places” as Greater Cambridge grows.
MP’s view
Ian Sollom, MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, has previously written to the minister overseeing the process to express his concerns.
After reviewing the consultation documents, Mr Sollom said: “… my view has not changed: the Government is rushing through an ill-thought-out and bungled process which will not result in benefits for the people it serves.
“Labour is wasting an opportunity to properly reorganise our local government and council services in a way that reflects the way we live in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough today. They should stop and rethink.”
Mr Sollom warned last year “getting reorganisation wrong will create problems that last for decades”.
The Government ultimately makes the final decision on how the new unitary councils will be organised in Cambridgeshire. They are expected to begin operating in a “shadow” form from May 2027, before officially taking over all responsibilities in April 2028, known as ‘vesting day’.
Details of the proposals and how to respond are available on the Government’s consultation website. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 26 March 2026.
