Councils and Democracy

Learn about the local government institutions and electoral wards

Councils & Authorities

The Cambridge City Council and the Cambridgesire County Council are two distinct entities that both exerce authority in Cambridge, each with its own responsibilities.

Cambridge City Council

Website: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk
Phone: 01223 457000
Email: enquiries@cambridge.gov.uk
Address: Cambridge City Council PO Box 700, Cambridge CB1 OJH
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Contact Cambridge City Council for information on:

Sport and leisure
Community development
Voting and local councillors
Council tax
Bins, rubbish and recycling
Benefits and support
Planning
Homelessness and housing advice

When moving in, don’t forget to register for Council Tax. The occupant is responsible for paying council tax. Tell the Council as soon as you have moved in to ensure that you are charged the correct amount.

Cambridgeshire County Council

Website: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Phone: 0345 0455500
Address: New Shire Hall, Alconbury Emery Crescent, Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon PE28 4YE
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Contact Cambridgesire County Council for information on:

Education, including applying for a school place
Bus passes
Libraries
Highways
Child and adult social care services
Family support services

Cambridgeshire County Council covers the city of Cambridge, but also the surrouding district councils: East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire, and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

Local Government Reorganisation

By April 2028, the Cambridgeshire County Council is expected to disappear, and the district councils are supposed to be grouped into Unitary Authorities, leaving only one entity in charge of a given area instead of the current two-tier (Cambridge City and Cambridgeshire County) system.

Cambridge City Council is expected to merge with South Cambridgeshire District Council, and maybe East Cambridgeshire District Council, depending on the decision from the government, to form a Unitary Authority that will also be responsible for what Cambridgeshire County Council provides today.

For more information, see Cambridge City Council’s FAQ on Local Government Reorganisation.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

Created in 2017, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has a range of responsibilities including transport, infrastructure, planning, economic growth, business support and adult education.

Other relevant government bodies

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP) is the shared planning service between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council. It is involved in the planning of developments such as Darwin Green.

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Darwin Green lies on the border of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Council and you may wish to find out more about the services that fall within their remit.

For information visit the South Cambridgeshire District Council’s website.

Girton

Darwin Green sits on the border of South Cambridgeshire, and the closest village on the other side of this border is Girton, so you may be interested in finding out what is happening there. You can visit the Girton Parish Council webpage, and look at their Community Newsletters.

Local democracy and Councillors

Who are the Councillors?

To find out who your local Cambridge City Councillors are, visit the Cambridge City Council’s website and search for “Castle” ward.

To find out who your local Cambridgeshire County Councillors are, visit the Councillors webpage from the County Council’s website.

Voting in Castle ward

Castle ward is the electoral ward covering Darwin Green. When moving in, do not forget to register to vote or to update your details, so you can vote at the next elections, if you have the right to do so. For more details on how to register for voting, look at the City Council’s page on voting.

Local elections include voting for:

Each ward has three seats at the Cambridge City Council. One seat in each ward is up for election each year. This happens for three years in a row, then elections to the county council are held every fourth year. The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and the Police and Crime Commissioner also run on 4-year mandates.