Council backs vision for fairer, kinder and greener South Cambridgeshire

South Cambridgeshire District Council has confirmed its vision for the years ahead - one for a ‘fairer, kinder and greener’ place ‘where all residents will be equal partners in their communities’.

At a Full Council meeting today (Tuesday 25 February), Councillors voted to agree the District Council’s new Corporate Plan up to 2030. The Corporate Plan sets out the Council’s high-level vision for the next five years as well as its priorities for achieving that vision.

The headline aspiration is to ‘create a better district to the benefit of everyone in our communities’ whilst the Council recognises ‘the many challenges that face the district and will continue to work to overcome these’.

Agreement at today’s meeting means that the Council’s new priorities – shaped by hundreds of responses during a consultation last year – are:

• Healthy and supported communities​ - Supporting and engaging with our communities is key to tackling the challenges we face as a district. Our diversity is our strength and helping everyone live freely and independently is essential to promoting healthy and supported communities.
• Sustainable homes and vibrant places​ - A home is more than a roof over your head, it is the foundation on which people build their lives. An affordable home is essential for people to live happy, fulfilling lives. In light of the housing crisis, we are committed to strengthening our communities by delivering sustainable, affordable homes and vibrant places to live.
• Being green to our core​ - Being green is at the heart of everything we do. We’re tackling the climate and ecological crises head-on, ensuring our district is ready for the challenges of climate change.
• Helping businesses to thrive in South Cambridgeshire​ - Already recognised as a nationally significant area for development, helping local businesses thrive is key to the development of our district - bringing new jobs and opportunities into people’s communities.
• Financially secure and fit for the future​ - We have a duty to provide high quality cost-efficient services. Being open, transparent, and inclusive and letting evidence guide our decisions is critical to putting residents first.

Council Leader, Cllr Bridget Smith, said: “This plan sets out our vision for South Cambridgeshire and the five key priorities that will drive us forward. These priorities will underpin everything we do as a Council and represent our commitment to action, to partnership, and to delivering real, positive change for everyone who lives and works here. As we embark on this next chapter in our district’s history, we do so with renewed ambition and energy. By working together - with our residents, businesses, and partners - we will continue to make South Cambridgeshire a fantastic place for everyone to live, work, and grow.

“We cannot however ignore that this is in the context of local government reorganisation. Many people are worried about how ‘local’ any new structure will make local government, and I admit I do share those concerns. We remain focused on delivering for communities in-line with our new aspirations but are of course working with other local councils to look at what structure might work best for residents. We will know more as the year progresses.”

The next 12 months

A Corporate Action Plan – which will feed into the higher-level Corporate Plan – was also agreed. The Action Plan outlines what specific actions the Council will take in order to achieve its aspirations.

One major project for the forthcoming year will be the beginning of construction work, next month, of the Northstowe Phase One Community Centre - named the "Unity Centre" by the local community.

The Unity Centre is one of several community buildings the Council is constructing at Northstowe. It is expected to open in early 2026 - featuring a spacious multi-use hall, a playful messy room, meeting rooms, provision for a cafe and a landscape courtyard with bespoke artwork inspired by Northstowe's history. The Centre will be equipped with solar panels, ground source heat pump and sustainable super-insulated timber frame.

Elsewhere, following the successful introduction of the Council’s first public-facing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on its website last year – new websites for the Council, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning and Greater Cambridge Shared Waste will make it even easier for residents to access services, find information and complete tasks online.

The Council will also continue with its cost-of-living support for residents and will be rolling out targeted initiatives aimed at supporting single-parent households, pensioners, and families affected by benefit caps.

Meanwhile, the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste service for both South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City councils continues to plan for the roll out of a new food waste collection service to residents in 2026.

There have also been additions to the Council’s plans for the year ahead following recent discussions between Councillors. This includes purchasing an extra vehicle and employing another member of staff to support the Council’s Enviro-Crime team as it tackles fly-tipping. There will also be additional resource to combat and raise awareness of fraud, plus further support to strengthen ties with parish and town councils.

Balancing the budget

The Council’s budget – which sets out how all the work the Council does will be funded – was also approved by Councillors today.

Most of the Council Tax that South Cambridgeshire District Council collects is passed to Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and parish or town councils. Some is also passed to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, to support local buses.

Less than half of the District Council’s annual budget is funded from local Council Tax. Other funding sources include some outside of the Council’s control, such as Business Rates and grants, whilst funding is also generated from investments.

A £5.09 per year – the equivalent of less than 10p a week - increase in Council Tax for the average band D home was also agreed by District Councillors. This will help ensure essential frontline services continue to be delivered effectively. It means the average band D home charge for South Cambridgeshire District Council will become £175.40 per year from April. This is still expected to maintain the Council’s position among the lowest 25% of District Councils in the country when it comes to its Council Tax charge.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr John Williams, said: “Balancing the books in local government today continues to be incredibly challenging but we are proud to be a financially-sound Council. This is a huge achievement given that costs continue to rise due to inflation, demand for services is increasing, and central funding is shrinking. Each year we need to do more with less. We’re hugely grateful to residents for supporting these efforts as we aim to make the very best use of every pound we receive or generate ourselves."