Photo: John Sutton · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Cambridge City Council
Cambridge is run by Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. No party holds a majority on Cambridge City Council. The Liberal Democrats have a majority on Cambridgeshire County Council. Cambridge is split between 3 parliamentary constituencies.
£2,469
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Cambridge’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Cambridge City Council
Labour, the largest group, holds 18 of its 42 seats as elected, 4 short of the 22 needed (it held 24 before the May 2026 election). The Liberal Democrats hold 12, the Greens 11 and the Conservatives 1. Who’s in charge ↓
Cambridgeshire changed hands in 2025
Cambridgeshire County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, went from no overall control to a Liberal Democrat majority at the May 2025 election: the Liberal Democrats won 31 of 61 seats. Cambridgeshire ↓
The 2026 vote
Across Cambridge’s wards, the Greens took 32.4%, the Liberal Democrats took 28.6% and Labour took 20.7% of votes in May 2026. In 2024, the Greens had 20.7%. How Cambridge has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Cambridge is £2,467 for 2026–27; Cambridge City Council keeps 10% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 54% in ten years, against England’s 56%. Council money ↓
Written from the data on this page: Democracy Club results since May 2021, the UK Parliament Members API and MHCLG council tax.
Who holds the seats on Cambridge’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 22 of Cambridge’s 42 or 31 of Cambridgeshire’s 61 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour18−6
- Liberal Democrat12no change
- Green11+6
- Conservative1no change
Change against the council before the 7 May 2026 election.
- Liberal Democrat31+9
- Conservative10−17
- Reform UK10+10
- Labour5−4
- Green3+3
- Independent2no change
- St. Neots Independent Group0−1
Seats are counted from election results: each ward’s most recent winners until its seats are filled. Councillors who have since changed party or resigned aren’t reflected, and which parties lead the council, and who is leader, comes from the council itself.
Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), elections since May 2021; seats per ward from its EveryElection.
Two tiers of council, no parish tier
Cambridge has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
95% of Cambridge’s residents
Website ↗Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Who runs Cambridge: same source as Who runs Cambridge, above.
Website ↗Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.
Website ↗Transport, skills and regeneration across several council areas. It is led by an elected mayor.
Mayor: Paul Bristow (Conservative), elected May 2025
Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: in two-tier areas the district or borough runs local services and the county the big ones.
95% of Cambridge is unparished: there is no parish or town council, so the council runs local matters itself and no parish precept is added to the bill.
Councils from ONS lookups (wards and councils May 2026, parishes 2025), names and websites from GOV.UK’s local council finder; parish councils from MHCLG’s 2026–27 list of precepting parishes.
From the council to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Cambridge, from the most recent elections.
- 1Council wards15 wards · 45 councillorsLabour 18 · Liberal Democrat 15 · Green 11 · Conservative 1 · all 45
- 2Cambridgeshire County Council10 divisions · 10 councillorsRichard HowittDavid LevienElisa MeschiniDarren James GreenPeter Charles ReesRory Jack ClarkKaren YoungAlex BeckettRos HathornAnna Elizabeth Bradnam
- 3Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined AuthorityCambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority · elected May 2025Paul Bristow
- 4Police and crime commissionerCambridgeshire Constabulary · elected May 2024Darryl Preston
- 5House of CommonsSplit between 3 constituencies
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. Tap an MP’s name for their contact page on parliament.uk.
45 councillors for 15 wards
Wards with at least 2% of the town’s residents, or half their own inside it. Each shows who won its most recent elections, newest first, until its seats are filled.
- Olaf HaukLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- John William GrimwoodLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Nadya LokhmotovaLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Amanda Joan TaylorLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Immy Blackburn-HorganLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Karen YoungLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Eleanor Frances Toye ScottGreen · May 2026
- Hugh CloughGreen · May 2024
- Jean GlasbergGreen · May 2023
- Martin Andrew SmartLabour · May 2026
- Jenny Gawthrope WoodLabour · May 2024
- Delowar HossainConservative · July 2023 · by-election
- Kathryn FisherGreen · May 2026
- Mike DaveyLabour · May 2024
- Katie ThornburrowLabour · May 2023
- Maria Margaret CleminsonGreen · May 2026
- Naomi Anne BennettGreen · May 2024
- Elliot TongGreen · May 2023
- Sarah Louise NicmanisGreen · May 2026
- Tim GriffinLabour · May 2024
- Rosy MooreLabour · May 2023
- Katie PorrerLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Tim BickLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Anthony MartinelliLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Jacqui WhitmoreGreen · May 2026
- Beth Gardiner-SmithLabour · September 2024 · by-election
- Dave BaigentLabour · May 2024
- Sefira Carmen DavisonGreen · May 2026
- Patrick SheilLabour · May 2024
- Mike Todd-JonesLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Sarah HaithcockLabour · May 2026
- Bob IllingworthLiberal Democrat · May 2025 · by-election
- Gerri BirdLabour · May 2024
- Russ McPhersonLabour · May 2026
- Mark William AshtonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Robert Paul DrydenLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
The other 3 wards
- Richard SwiftLabour · May 2026
- Jamie Leon DalzellLiberal Democrat · May 2025 · by-election
- Sam CarlingLabour · May 2024
- Alex SageGreen · May 2026
- Antoinette NestorLabour · May 2024
- Cheney PayneLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- James RixonLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Martin Gabriel CahnLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Geo SebastianLiberal Democrat · May 2026
Show as a table, with Cambridgeshire County Council’s 10 divisions (10 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrumpingtonCambridge · all in Cambridge · 12,392 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024 | 3 | Olaf HaukJohn William GrimwoodNadya Lokhmotova | May 2026, May 2024 |
| Queen Edith'sCambridge · all in Cambridge · 12,246 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Amanda Joan TaylorImmy Blackburn-HorganKaren Young | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| NewnhamCambridge · all in Cambridge · 11,373 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Eleanor Frances Toye ScottHugh CloughJean Glasberg | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| King's HedgesCambridge · all in Cambridge · 11,098 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 | 3 | Martin Andrew SmartJenny Gawthrope WoodDelowar Hossainby-election | May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 |
| PetersfieldCambridge · all in Cambridge · 10,939 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Kathryn FisherMike DaveyKatie Thornburrow | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| AbbeyCambridge · all in Cambridge · 10,785 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Maria Margaret CleminsonNaomi Anne BennettElliot Tong | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| ColeridgeCambridge · all in Cambridge · 10,503 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Sarah Louise NicmanisTim GriffinRosy Moore | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| MarketCambridge · all in Cambridge · 10,446 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Katie PorrerTim BickAnthony Martinelli | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| RomseyCambridge · all in Cambridge · 10,190 residents3 seats · May 2026, September 2024, May 2024 | 3 | Jacqui WhitmoreBeth Gardiner-Smithby-electionDave Baigent | May 2026, September 2024, May 2024 |
| ArburyCambridge · all in Cambridge · 9,881 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Sefira Carmen DavisonPatrick SheilMike Todd-Jones | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| East ChestertonCambridge · all in Cambridge · 9,715 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2025, May 2024 | 3 | Sarah HaithcockBob Illingworthby-electionGerri Bird | May 2026, May 2025, May 2024 |
| Cherry HintonCambridge · all in Cambridge · 9,343 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Russ McPhersonMark William AshtonRobert Paul Dryden | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| West ChestertonCambridge · all in Cambridge · 8,903 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2025, May 2024 | 3 | Richard SwiftJamie Leon Dalzellby-electionSam Carling | May 2026, May 2025, May 2024 |
| CastleCambridge · all in Cambridge · 7,521 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Alex SageAntoinette NestorCheney Payne | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Histon & ImpingtonSouth Cambridgeshire · 29% in Cambridge · 3,284 residents3 seats · May 2026 | 3 | James RixonMartin Gabriel CahnGeo Sebastian | May 2026 |
Cambridgeshire County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersfield EDall in Cambridge · 32,170 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Richard Howitt | May 2025 |
| Trumpington EDall in Cambridge · 24,638 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | David Levien | May 2025 |
| King's Hedges EDall in Cambridge · 20,813 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Elisa Meschini | May 2025 |
| Romsey EDall in Cambridge · 20,693 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Darren James Green | May 2025 |
| Newnham EDall in Cambridge · 18,894 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Peter Charles Rees | May 2025 |
| Castle EDall in Cambridge · 9,881 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Rory Jack Clark | May 2025 |
| Queen Edith's EDall in Cambridge · 9,343 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Karen Young | May 2025 |
| Market EDall in Cambridge · 8,903 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Alex Beckett | May 2025 |
| Histon & Impington ED29% in Cambridge · 3,284 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Ros Hathorn | May 2025 |
| Waterbeach ED14% in Cambridge · 3,096 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Anna Elizabeth Bradnam | May 2025 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Cambridge City Council’s website lists who sits now.
Results from Democracy Club’s candidates database (CC BY 4.0; elections since May 2021) and ward seats from its EveryElection, matched to ONS wards (May 2026) and county divisions (May 2025).
Labour led each vote to 2024; the Greens led in 2026
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Cambridge’s wards at each scheduled council election since 2021. A gap is a year with no election here.
Seats won at each election
Show as a table
| Party | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 19.7% | 15.2% | 17.9% | 20.7% | 32.4% |
| Labour | 40.7% | 39.3% | 38.2% | 40.9% | 20.7% |
| Liberal Democrat | 25.8% | 31.6% | 22.1% | 21.9% | 28.6% |
| Conservative | 11.6% | 10.9% | 19.2% | 13.7% | 7.9% |
| Reform UK | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 9.7% |
In 2026, the Greens won 7, the Liberal Democrats won 7 and Labour won 4 of the 18 seats up in Cambridge’s wards.
Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0). Where a ward elects several councillors at once, each voter has that many votes; all of them count here.
Cambridge council election, May 2026
Results in the wards that make up Cambridge, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
15 wards voted. Cambridge elects a third of its councillors at a time, so a third of the seats were up.
No election is scheduled yet for Cambridge’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗6,215 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,070 votes for candidates
1,974 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (12 more)
2,620 votes for candidates
3,329 votes for candidates
2,674 votes for candidates
2,940 votes for candidates
1,975 votes for candidates
3,363 votes for candidates
2,886 votes for candidates
2,937 votes for candidates
2,793 votes for candidates
3,486 votes for candidates
2,353 votes for candidates
11,903 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Cambridge is split between 3 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Labour, MP since 7 May 2015
81% of Cambridge’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 60% (England 60%).
Majority 11,078 of 42,100 votes (26.3%): wider than in 80% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024
17% of Cambridge’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 71% (England 60%).
Majority 10,641 of 54,885 votes (19.4%): wider than in 66% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024
2% of Cambridge’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 68% (England 60%).
Majority 4,621 of 52,882 votes (8.7%): the 162nd-narrowest of 543 in England.
42,100 votes for candidates · majority 11,078
Labour, MP since 7 May 2015.
turnout in July 2024: 42,100 votes from 70,321 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 11,078 of 42,100 votes (26.3%): wider than in 80% of England’s 543 constituencies.
South Cambridgeshire
54,885 votes for candidates · majority 10,641
Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 54,885 votes from 77,327 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 10,641 of 54,885 votes (19.4%): wider than in 66% of England’s 543 constituencies.
St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire
52,882 votes for candidates · majority 4,621
Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 52,882 votes from 78,115 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 4,621 of 52,882 votes (8.7%): the 162nd-narrowest of 543 in England.
MPs and results: UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0); constituencies from ONS (2024 boundaries). Percentages are of valid votes; turnout is votes cast over the electorate.
Cambridge’s Band D council tax is £2,467 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Cambridge City Council keeps £239.07 of a Band D bill (10%); the rest goes to Cambridgeshire County Council, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, the Cambridgeshire police and crime commissioner and the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,469 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Cambridge’s Band D bill has risen 54% in ten years, from £1,597.54 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £574.88 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Cambridge, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Cambridgeshire’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,100.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Cambridgeshire
| Cambridge + Cambridgeshire | Cambridge’s councils | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £421 | £417 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £170 | £224 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £-3 | £28 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £65 | £39 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £156 | £135 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £62 | £27 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £38 | £38 | £26 |
| Public health | £51 | £56 | £78 |
| Running the council | £37 | £40 | £59 |
| Other | £0 | £7 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £996 | £1,013 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Cambridge per its residents plus Cambridgeshire per the county’s. Schools are left out: academies are paid for directly by government, so council school budgets depend on how many schools have converted. Cambridgeshire and England: all their councils together. Police, fire and transport authorities aren’t included.
Band D: MHCLG Band D council tax 2026–27 (each authority’s own figure, excluding parish precepts) and Council Tax statistics for town and parish councils 2026–27; since 1993–94, MHCLG’s area averages including parishes.
Having a say in how Cambridge is run
It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.
gov.uk ↗Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.
WriteToThem ↗GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.
gov.uk ↗Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.
cambridge.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
cambridge.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Cambridge is run
Which council runs Cambridge?
The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Cambridge have a town council?
No. Cambridge is unparished, so there is no town or parish council and no parish precept.
Who is the MP for Cambridge?
Cambridge is split between 3 constituencies: Cambridge (Daniel Zeichner, Labour), South Cambridgeshire (Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrat) and St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire (Ian Sollom, Liberal Democrat). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Cambridge have?
45 ward councillors represent Cambridge’s 15 wards, and 10 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Cambridge?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Cambridge’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Cambridge?
Band D council tax in Cambridge is £2,469 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Cambridge City Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Labour 18 · Liberal Democrat 12 · Green 11 · Conservative 1 of 42 seats; a majority needs 22. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Cambridgeshire County Council?
The Liberal Democrats have a majority: 31 of 61 seats as elected.
Who won the 2026 council election in Cambridge?
In Cambridge’s wards on 7 May 2026, Green 7 · Liberal Democrat 7 · Labour 4 of the 18 seats up. The Greens had the largest share of votes, 32.4%.
Sources: ONS ward, county division, parish, constituency lookups (Census 2021 output areas; Open Government Licence v3.0) · GOV.UK local council finder · Democracy Club candidates (CC BY 4.0) and EveryElection · UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0) · MHCLG Band D council tax, parish precepts and Revenue Account budgets 2026–27 (OGL v3.0) · ONS mid-2025 population estimates. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.