Cambridge City Council is asking local people whether the current structure of local government could be improved, and is urging people take part in its short survey before it closes on Tuesday 3 September.

There is a public event taking place at the Guildhall on Saturday, 31 August, from 10.30am to 12 noon, where people can learn more about the current structures and take part in open discussion. Everyone is welcome to attend the free event – but registration is required.

To complete the short survey, or to register for the event, visit the survey project page online, email local.government@cambridge.gov.uk, or call 01223 457000, where you can also request information and a copy of the survey in alternative formats.

Through the survey the council is asking:

• do you support the current arrangements?
• how well are they working?
• do you think they can be improved?
• should a unitary authority be considered (a single council responsible for the services currently provided by the city council and county council)?

The council is not putting forward any specific proposals for local government reorganisation. The intention is to start a conversation and canvass public opinion on current arrangements to see whether there is local interest in considering possible changes.

The feedback received will help to determine whether any changes to the current arrangements should be further explored. If so, the council would need to work with local partner authorities and central government to develop proposals which would go through a separate formal consultation process.

In October 2023 Cambridge City councillors voted unanimously in support of a motion which recognised that Cambridge has some of the most complex local government arrangements in the country and called for a discussion about whether the current arrangements are the most appropriate form of governance for Cambridge.

Currently Cambridge is served by two tiers of local government – Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. Each provides different services over different geographies, although there are some overlapping responsibilities.

In addition, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) is responsible for co-ordinating some strategic functions such as transport; and the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) was set up in 2014 by the government as a partnership between Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County councils, to deliver projects, infrastructure and technology to improve people’s lives and their experiences of moving around Greater Cambridge.

Cllr Mike Davey, Leader of Cambridge City Council, said: “We often hear that the local government landscape can be confusing and frustrating for people who don’t know which authority to approach about which services. Similarly, some people are concerned that the complexity of the local government landscape means that accountability is more challenging, as is strategic decision making, particularly where this spans district boundaries. We want to facilitate discussion, and to capture people’s thoughts about whether there are changes that could be made to improve the way local government works.

“We don’t have a particular outcome in mind, and I don’t believe there are any easy answers. It’s worth remembering that councils across the country are facing substantial financial pressures, making difficult decisions about saving money while continuing to deliver essential services, regardless of whether they are in two tier structures or unitary councils.

“The most important thing is that we hear what local people think about this so we can determine whether there is any appetite for change. If there is, we could then talk to local partner authorities and central government, before developing specific options for local people to feed back on. Please let us know what you think before 3 September, or come along to the public event on Saturday to find out more.”