All but one public organisation has proposed increasing their portion of the Council Tax for the upcoming financial year. If all of the amounts are approved, it means households in an average Band D property in Histon and Impington will have to pay £2,432 in 2025/26. The overall total is over £100 more than this year.
The current breakdown as it stands for 2025/26 is as follows:
- Cambridgeshire County Council: £1,700.64 (Proposed)
- South Cambridgeshire District Council: £175.40 (Proposed)
- Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner: £299.43 (Approved)
- Cambridgeshire Fire Authority: £87.21 (Proposed)
- Mayoral Combined Authority: £36 (Approved)
- Parish Council Precept: £133.32 (Approved)
County Council increase
Cambridgeshire County Council has proposed increasing its proportion of the Council Tax payment by 4.99% – the maximum possible without a referendum being called. This includes its contribution towards Adult Social Care services.
The Council’s Strategy, Resources and Performance Committee heard at its last meeting how the demand for services, increasing complexity of need, inflation and market failures meant there is a £35.1 million gap in its 2025/26 finances.
However its proposed plans for the upcoming year include a £52 million investment in highways maintenance. The Council says this includes £14.5 million for the day-to-day management of roads and an additional £20m for planned maintenance including pavements, drainage, road safety measures and cycleways.
There are also proposals for £3 million funding to cover inflation for local care providers, an additional £9 million to support children who need to be looked after and £4.7 million for home to school transport services.
‘…what choice do we have…?’
Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “We didn’t want to put the council tax up, but what choice do we have when we’re facing a challenging budget. This reflects the position faced by councils up and down the country, and we’ve seen the national profile on key services such as special educational needs and disability services. This the same in Cambridgeshire.
“Between 2020 and 2024, there was a 70% increase in children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), cost increases in home to school transport and in autism services over the same period. We do not receive the funding from Government to meet the needs of the growing population in Cambridgeshire, so we must do what we can to deliver value for money in the services we provide, whilst investing in what matters most to our residents.”
The final decision on the increase will be made when the Full Council meets on 11 February.
4.9% increase for police
Residents’ contribution towards policing will also increase by 4.9%, which was unanimously supported by the police and crime panel yesterday (Wednesday). This means residents in a Band D property will pay around £14 more in the next financial year for police officers, bringing this annual contribution to just under £300.
When first proposing the increase, Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston explained how the county falls short because of Central Government’s current funding model.
He said: “Police funding is based on a woefully inadequate funding formula which results in our county remaining one of the lowest funded forces in the country. Since the funding formula was set, our population has grown by 11% and is forecast to grow much faster than the national average.
“At the same time, there are areas of the country which have maintained the same level of population and some areas who have seen their population reduce. Yet the way funding is allocated using the existing formula is outdated and does not meet our county’s needs.”
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is proposing to increase its precept by just under £5 to £87.21. This will be debated next Thursday (13 February). Chief Fire Officer Matthew Warren said a long-term partnership which involved sharing resources with the Suffolk service is coming to an end. To break even, he said Cambridgeshire now has to find an additional £1 million.
Increased demand vs decreased funding
Both South Cambridgeshire District Council and Histon & Impington Parish Council’s increases work out to be around 3%. For a Band D property, the District Council will make a final decision at the end of the month on proposals to increase its precept by £5.09 to £175.40. South Cambs argues it is expected to maintain its position to be 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: “It continues to be challenging for councils due to increasing demand for our services coupled with reduced funding.
“So, it’s a fantastic achievement for residents that we’re a financially sound Council – but important to remember we only retain a very small amount of the Council Tax we collect. Most of it gets passed on to other authorities – and we continue to do all we can to make the most of every pound we do receive.”
Histon & Impington Parish Council has voted in favour of increasing its Council Tax precept to £133.32. Meanwhile, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is the only public body covering the village to freeze its contribution to £36. However, last year it tripled the amount and says separate funding for public transport has helped its finances.
