Category: South Cambs District Council

News release

Monday 15 September 2025

Leaders call for views on unitary council for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire

The leaders of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils are making the case for a new unitary council for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire and have today launched a survey to ask for local views.

The survey runs until 11:59pm on Sunday 12 October and also asks for suggestions for a name for the new council if it goes ahead. Take the survey on either council’s engagement platform:

• Cambridge City Council
• South Cambridgeshire District Council

Leaders support a unitary council for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire alongside a new unitary council for East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough. This is known as ‘Option B’ in the three options shortlisted by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils in June.

The Leader of Cambridge City Council, Cllr Cameron Holloway, said: “We know that many residents see the current two-tier local government arrangements for our area as confusing and inefficient. We now have the chance to simplify matters: all areas with two tiers of local government are being asked to reorganise into ‘unitary’ councils, which combine all local government functions in one authority. Earlier in the year, council leaders set out three options for the geographical configuration of new councils in our area: Options A, B and C. I believe that Option B is the best option for local residents.

“A unitary council combining Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire would work best for our area: it has a coherent identity; the two councils already share several services, such as planning and waste collection; ours are the only two council-house-owning authorities in the county; and a single council for our fast-growing city and its surrounding area would help to streamline governance and enable us to better manage the pressures that come with growth.

“A larger northern council would provide financial resilience and economies of scale, but could offer locally specific services to support the differing needs of communities across the area.”

The Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cllr Bridget Smith, said: “Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire are already joined together in lots of ways, particularly with the unique geography which sees Cambridge surrounded by South Cambridgeshire’s towns and villages on all sides. We share an award-winning planning service and we’re working on a shared Local Plan which will ensure desperately needed new homes are built in a planned way with the right supporting facilities also being built at the right time.

“Meanwhile, 80% of working residents would both live and work in the new unitary area. For example, many of you living in Cambridge head into South Cambridgeshire when you get a train from Cambridge North, use Trumpington Park and Ride or for weekend walks in the countryside. Many of you living in South Cambridgeshire travel into Cambridge to work, use sports and leisure services, or for a day at the shops. In many ways, a new single council covering Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire just formalises what already happens.”

During a joint survey for all the local authorities during the summer, residents and business gave councils a strong message that they will support reorganisation if it achieves tangible benefits for them.

Regardless of which option you prefer in future there will be:

• One council to contact: Today, most residents must work out whether the County Council or their city or district council is responsible for potholes, bins or social care. In future, whatever option is chosen by national Government, you’ll have one council to contact for all local services, making it easier to get help and hold leaders to account.

• Money saved, better frontline services: By merging seven councils into two, duplication is cut, and money can be saved. That could mean more funds available for fixing potholes, cleaner streets and better support for families and older residents.

There is no easy way to create two new councils that reflect the diverse rural and urban identities of Cambridgeshire. The leaders of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils believe ‘Option B’ is better than the other options because:

• It creates two councils with similar size economies and distinct strengths: a ‘southern council’, for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, Europe’s leading science and technology hub, and a large and diverse ‘economic powerhouse’ in the north for Peterborough, Huntingdonshire, Fenland and East Cambridgeshire.
• Jobs and opportunities are closer to home: three quarters of all residents that work would live and work in the council area where they reside. And because each council has distinct but complementary economic strengths, they can each focus on attracting the investment their areas need to ensure residents can find good jobs and affordable homes locally.
• Public services are better: a larger council in the north can use its scale to drive efficiencies as well as localise service provision to meet diverse community needs. The smaller southern council area already has many joint services and, uniquely, 1 in 10 homes are council-owned, enabling closer integration with health services and social care.
• It’s more financially sustainable and fairer: resources are split most fairly, which is better value for money and minimises the impact on council tax payers. As a result, both new councils are in the best position to meet the different needs of their residents and residents of all parts of Cambridgeshire.
• It respects historic identities: the ‘southern council’ aligns closely with the old administrative county of Cambridgeshire, whilst the ‘northern council’ would respect the historic identities of the Isle of Ely and the former county of Huntingdonshire, and would not cut Fen communities in half.

Timeline for Local Government Reorganisation

National Government outlined plans in late 2024 to disband existing district, city and county councils in order to create new ‘unitary’ councils from April 2028. That would mean an end to the seven district, city and county councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and replacing them with fewer unitary councils. Each new unitary council would provide all council services in the areas they serve, in contrast to the current model where Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire residents are served by either the city or district council and the County Council.

The Government will ultimately decide what new unitary councils to create. Before Government makes that decision, the seven Cambridgeshire councils have been asked to explore possible options and submit proposals to Government before the end of November 2025.

Cambridgeshire County Council is leading on the proposal for option A; Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are working with all other councils on Option B; and Huntingdonshire District Council is leading on the proposal for Option C.

A survey was run jointly by all seven councils during summer this year, asking residents for general feedback about local government and their future priorities. This survey is seeking to gather feedback about residents’ preferred geographical option for new unitary councils in our area.

Take the survey

You can now have your say on whether you support a unitary council for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. The surveys linked below are identical and people only need to respond once on their preferred platform, before the survey closes at 11:59pm on Sunday 12 October.

• Cambridge survey: For Cambridge respondents who would prefer to complete a paper survey, please email communications@cambridge.gov.uk or call 01223 457 000.
• South Cambridgeshire survey: For South Cambridgeshire respondents who would prefer to complete a paper survey, please email communications@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 713 000.

A public focus group will also be held to further explore Option B – further information is available via each council’s website mentioned above.

At Cambridge City Council’s Full Council meeting on Thursday 24 July, Councillors passed a motion outlining how a unitary authority based on the current boundaries of Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, alongside viable arrangements for the rest of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is likely to be the best option for the residents of Cambridge. The most recent report on local government reorganisation discussed by South Cambridgeshire District Councillors was debated at a Full Council meeting on Thursday 17 July 2025. At that meeting, the Leader, Cllr Bridget Smith told District Councillors that her administration would be promoting a new unitary council covering Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. Meanwhile, this summer the two leaders wrote an open letter on this topic.

Responses to the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire survey will be used to feed into the proposals being developed by the councils – which will be discussed at Full Council meetings before they must be submitted to Government in November. There will then be further consultation, before Government ultimately makes a final decision. New councils are expected to operate in a shadow capacity from May 2027 before full implementation in April 2028, known as ‘vesting day’.

Christmas and New Year bin collections 🎄🗑️♻️

Bin collections which fall on Wednesday 25 December will take place 2 days EARLIER, on Monday 23 December.

Those falling on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 December will take place one day later than usual, with Friday’s collection moving to Saturday.

The following week, collections falling on Wednesday 1 January will take place 2 days EARLIER, on Monday 30 December.

All other collection dates remain the same as usual: December 2024 – March 2025 bin collection calendar.

Christmas tree recycling 🎄♻️

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will again be collecting real Christmas trees to be chipped into mulch and compost in January.

They collect across CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB21, CB22, CB23, CB24, CB25, SG8 and SG19 3. Bookings can be made now.

The next community forum for Northstowe will take place on Wednesday 11 September. Drop-in from 6.30pm, Forum at 7pm at Western Park Pavilion, Peppercorn Drive, Northstowe.

Further information for this forum can be found here: Northstowe Community Forum – South Cambs District Council (scambs.gov.uk)

Good evening

The Combined Authority has launched a survey asking the public to share

their views on electric vehicles (EVs) and how best to meet the need for

more charging points across the region.

With the transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles affecting

everyone – whether they drive an EV or not – we’re encouraging as many

people as possible to have a say. Please share the survey among your

community noticeboards, publications and channels to help more people to

take part.

  Working with Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City

Council, we are developing an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy

and will be applying to the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle

Infrastructure (LEVI) fund to help build more charge points.

The Combined Authority wants to make sure they are planned for in the

right way, informed by people’s views.

The Combined Authority’s vision for charging points is:

_”For everyone in the region to have the necessary electric vehicle

charging infrastructure available in the right place at the time they

need. This charging infrastructure will be high quality, safe ,

affordable, environmentally sustainable and accessible. “_

The survey only takes five minutes and can be found here, along with

further information:

HTTPS://CAMBRIDGESHIREPETERBOROUGH-CA.GOV.UK/EV-CHARGING/ [1].

People have until MARCH 26, 2024, to take the survey before it closes.

You can download our survey poster [2]for sharing within your community

and networks. There is a QR code linking to the survey.

For those who prefer to email feedback, use

transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk

For responding by post, request a hard copy of the survey by emailing

transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk or call 01480 277180.

You can also read our news post about the survey here:

HTTPS://CAMBRIDGESHIREPETERBOROUGH-CA.GOV.UK/NEWS/CALL-FOR-VIEWS-ON-ELECTRIC-VEHICLES-AND-PLANNING-FOR-MORE-CHARGING-POINTS/

[3]

Thank you in advance for any support you can give in sharing this

survey.

Combined Authority Transport Team

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

Contents

Happy New Year…………………………………………………………………1

Homes for Ukraine 2024 Host Survey……………………………………….2

Landlord Incentive Scheme..………………………………….….…….……..2

Reminder – Refugee Host Support Services………….……………..……..3

Happy New Year

We hope you all enjoyed the festive break with your guests. We reiterate our grateful thanks to you all for continuing to work with us in the Homes for Ukraine scheme in South Cambridgeshire, and we wish to reassure you of our support in the coming months as we hope and pray for a resolution to the conflict in 2024.

HfU 2024 Host Survey

South Cambridgeshire District Council is conducting a new host/sponsor survey for 2024. Following the announcement that host ‘thank you’ payments have been extended to year 3 of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we wanted to give hosts a chance to update the date until which they wish to continue to host. This enables SCDC to plan to provide the support to guests who need to move on. There is also an opportunity to provide SCDC with your feedback on the Homes for Ukraine scheme so far.

If you have already completed this survey, we thank you for taking the time to do so. If you have not, then please follow the below weblink, the survey will take no more than 5 minutes to complete:

Landlord Incentive Scheme

South Cambridgeshire District Council has recently launched a Homes for Ukraine Landlord Incentive Scheme.

Landlords who provide properties in South Cambridgeshire to Homes for Ukraine guests who are resident in South Cambridgeshire will qualify for a financial incentive. These incentives differ depending on the size of the property, and if they provide the property at market rent or at local housing allowance. The landlord must also provide a minimum tenancy of 6 months from the outset. Please see the below table that details initial payments for a 6-month tenancy:

South Cambridgeshire District Council will help to source a Homes for Ukraine tenant if one is not lined up, and will also provide assistance with setting up the tenancy agreement if this support is required.

If you would be interested in signing up for this scheme, please complete the online form by following this link. Alternatively, you can contact the team at HFULiaison@Scambs.gov.uk or call them on 01954 713411.

Reminder: Refugee Host Support services

We’d like to remind you of the free service available to you through our partnership with the Refugee Host Support service. This free service provides help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It includes:

• 24/7 assistance with unlimited access to accredited and qualified counsellors or psychotherapists.
• Cognitive Behavioural therapy to help overcome common mental health problems.
• Advice lines, including financial, legal, consumer and career advice.
• Discounts at applicable brands.

Please look at this video tour to view the full package of support that this service offers. To sign up to the service, complete the online form using the reference word Anglesey 

You will then receive a welcome email giving you all the information you need. You will also have immediate access to the Supporter Plan brought to you by www.refugeehostsupport.co.uk. 

Your Homes for Ukraine guests also have access to a dedicated service tailored for them, and we would encourage you to let your guest know about this. They will be able to access 24/7 advice lines with Ukrainian speakers, online Ukrainian support groups, and have access to online therapy should it be needed. Details have been sent directly to all Ukrainian guests via email.

Thank you once again for your on-going support.

Best wishes,

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

We would like to wish all our hosts, and all the many organisations, groups and individuals who have worked so hard this year to accommodate Ukrainian visitors to our district, a very happy and relaxing Christmas.  We are very grateful for all the many things you do for guests to make them feel welcome. This festive season is very much a time for family gatherings and will undoubtedly prove to be another difficult period for Ukrainian visitors who are unable to see and spend time with their loved ones and are worried for the safety and wellbeing of family members who have remained back in the Ukraine. We offer our continuing support and prayers for a resolution to the war in 2024.

We would also like to remind you of the service offered by our partners at Refugee Host Support which provides help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is available to hosts and guests free of charge.

It includes:

• 24/7 assistance with unlimited access to accredited and qualified counsellors or psychotherapists.
• Cognitive Behavioural therapy to help overcome common mental health problems.
• Advice lines, including financial, legal, consumer and career advice.
• Discounts at applicable brands.

Please look at this video tour to view the full package of support that this service offers.

To sign up to the service, complete the online form. In the reference box, please use the word Anglesey. You will then receive a welcome email giving you all the information you need. You will also have immediate access to the Supporter Plan brought to you by www.refugeehostsupport.co.uk. 

My kindest regards and best wishes,

Bill

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council

South Cambridgeshire residents are being encouraged to ensure they take advantage of all the cost-of-living support they are entitled to this winter. With the weather getting colder and communities spending more on heating, the District Council is beginning a new campaign to urge residents to make full use of assistance available. Research suggests that around 25% of some benefits go unclaimed. The Council is therefore encouraging residents to check they are claiming what they are legitimately entitled to. The campaign also reminds people that local foodbanks – all listed on the Council’s website – are there when needed, and you don’t need a voucher to use most of them. There is also an appeal for residents to get energy-saving advice and find out about grants for home improvements to cut spending on energy bills during the winter. Read more on the District Council’s website.

September 21 2023

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

We would like to reassure hosts that while our communications on any updates to the Homes for Ukraine scheme may now be more intermittent, we are committed to continuing our support for you in this crucial role while the war in Ukraine continues.

This week we have one note for you regarding clarification on host payments and have also included some of the regular reminders we are sending to your guests for your information.

Host Payments – first and last months

Payments can only be made if the total number of days a guest is with their host in their first and last months combined is 16 days or more. The day the guest leaves is not included.

For example:

1. The guest arrived on 30 June 2022 – payment would not have been made for June 2022. They leave on 13 July 2023. The guests are treated as being with the host for 1 day in the first month and 12 days in the last month. As this period is less than 16 days, the last month to be paid would be June 2023.

2. The guest arrived on 26 June 2022 – payment would not have been made for June 2022. They leave on 15 July 2023. The guests are treated as being with the host for 5 days in the first month and 14 days in the last month.  As this period is more than 16 days, the last month to be paid would be July 2023.

3. The guest arrived on 12 June 2022 – payment was made for June 2022 as they are with the host for the first month for more than 16 days. They leave on 15 July 2023. The guests are treated as being with the host for 14 days in the last month. As this period is less than 16 days, they will not receive a payment for July and the last month to be paid would be June 2023.

If you need further clarification on this, please contact ukrainepayments@scambs.gov.uk

Useful Information for your guests

We thought we would also take this opportunity to make you aware of some of the useful information which is available on the Council website for your guests. It can be found in the Guest Information Hub covering Financial advice and support, Local travel support, Access to health and wellbeing services, Access to education and childcare, Hobbies and leisure activities and Moving On.

• a.young690@gmail.com
• Cambridge Russian-Speaking Society (CamRuSS) runs a helpline for guests and hosts with a translation service. Call 05603 025975 (9am-6pm weekdays, 10am-5pm Saturdays). 

• Support for Families with Young Children Leaflets in English and Ukrainian are available for Ukrainian families with younger children to understand more about childcare choices in Cambridgeshire.
• Free clothes at Sawston pop-up clothes shop: A pop-up shop at Sawston Free Church, High Street CB22 3BG, provides donated good quality clothing for Ukrainian guests and is open 2^nd and 4^th Friday of the month 4pm-6pm.
• Support to find a job for ages 15-24: Young guests aged 15-24 can access career guidance, apprenticeship advice, CV writing and interview preparation, online resources to training courses, and more. Email to tpluck@formthefuture.org.uk, see Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning – Contact Form (office.com)
• Cambridge Online Job Skills Club: Cambridge Online aims to help Ukrainian refugees learn new skills and how to apply for employment in the UK. Email help@cambridgeonline.org.uk or call 01223 300407.
• Free courses from WEA: The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) runs courses which Ukrainian guests can join for free if they meet the criteria. See wea.org.uk or call 0300 303 34 64.
• Free digital help sessions: Bar Hall Library offers free drop-in digital help sessions on Mondays from 10.00-12.00. No need to book.
• Community Forum Offering Help: Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum gives advice and support to Ukrainians on housing issues, finding a job, ESOL classes, education, access to public services and benefits. Email alla@cecf.co.uk or call 01223 655241. 
• Barnardo’s Ukrainian Support Helpline: Children’s charity Barnardo’s has a Ukrainian Support Helpline open Monday–Friday 10.00-20.00 or Saturday 10.00-15.00. Call freephone on 0800 148 8586 or email to ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk 

A range of free or special offers are also available for Ukrainian guests:

• Better Health Centre (Off-Peak) membership
• Bizbike Community E-bike Service free rides
• Free bikes and Cycling UK (digital-only membership)
• Free Laptops
• Library membership
• Free admission to National Trust properties
• Small Grants to help reduce social isolation for guests

We continue to be extremely grateful for your support of Ukrainian guests and thank you for taking the time to read this latest update.

Best wishes,

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council