In June 2025, the seven Cambridgeshire councils announced three proposed options for possible new unitary councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The three options each contain two new unitary councils that would in future cover the entire Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area and replace all existing local authorities. These are options that appear to be the most financially viable based on the government’s criteria, and are based on existing authority boundaries.

The councils must 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.

• With South Cambridgeshire District Council, we asking whether you support a new unitary council for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire - take our survey by Sunday 12 October.
• Have your say about option A by taking the county council's survey by Friday 3 October.

Once the councils have submitted the proposals for the three options, 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’.