Cambridgeshire County Council local authority assessment (August 2025)

How we assess local authorities

Assessment published: 20 August 2025

About Cambridgeshire County Council

Demographics

Cambridgeshire is a large county in the East of England comprised of five districts: Cambridge City, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire. The 2021 Census showed an overall 9.2% increase in the population since 2011 to 678,850. Urban areas saw a very significant population growth of 17% over this time and by contrast, population in rural areas saw less overall population growth, but higher growth in people aged over 65. Growth in the over 65 population was 26% against an 18.6% national average.

There are health inequalities within the county and there are some communities with very poor health, whether this is measured by life expectancy, hospital admissions, or deaths. Four of the Fenland communities are ranked in the 10% most deprived areas, but Cambridgeshire as a whole has comparatively low levels of deprivation and is ranked 132 out of 153 local authorities. The council footprint has an index of multiple deprivation score of 2. A local authority with a decile of 1 means it is in the least deprived group (lowest 10%), while a local authority with a decile of 10 means it is in the most deprived group (highest 10%). The health and wellbeing of the population across the county is as good as, or better, than the national average. In terms of ethnicity, 88.56% people are white, 5.85% Asian or Asian British, 1.44% Black, Black British, Caribbean or African, 2.85% are of a Mixed or Multiple ethnic group and 1.31%, Other.

An integrated care partnership operates comprising the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS). Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council delivered shared services under a single Chief Executive and leadership team until 2022, when separate Chief Executives were appointed for both councils. By June 2023, Cambridgeshire County Council had a new Executive Director for Adults, Health and Commissioning and commenced separation of its shared services from Peterborough City Council. Since 2021, and at the time of our assessment, Cambridgeshire County Council has been run by a joint political administration of Liberal Democrat, Labour and Independent Councillors. Following the election on 1 May 2025, the local authority is now under a Liberal Democrat majority control.

Financial facts

• The local authority estimated that in 2023/24, its total budget would be £791,003, 000.00. Its actual spend for that year was £888,194,000,00, which was £97,191,000,00 more than estimated.
• The local authority estimated that it would spend £237,902,000.00 of its total budget on adult social care in 2023/24. Its actual spend was £252,369,000.00 which is £14,467,000.00 more than estimated.
• In 2023/24, 28.41% of the budget was spent on adult social care.
• The local authority has raised the full adult social care precept for 2023/24, with a value of 2%. Please note that the amount raised through ASC precept varies from local authority to local authority.​
• Approximately 8305 people were accessing long-term adult social care support, and approximately 2920 people were accessing short-term adult social care support in 2023/24. ​Local authorities spend money on a range of adult social care services, including supporting individuals. No two care packages are the same and vary significantly in their intensity, duration, and cost.

This data is reproduced at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care. It has not been factored into our assessment and is presented for information purposes only.