Elections 2025: Liberal Democrats gain control of Cambridgeshire County Council as Tories lose ground to Reform UK
The Liberal Democrats have gained control of Cambridgeshire County Council.
They won 31 seats - up 11 compared to the 2021 election, although they had also been victorious in by-elections since.
The council had been run by a coalition of Lib Dems, Labour and Independents since 2021.
While the Conservatives were cheering as Paul Bristow was elected mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, it was a dismal day for them on the county council, as they lost 18 seats, securing only 10.
Reform UK proved to be a big factor in that - winning 10 seats, including in previous Tory strongholds. Among those to go was Steve Count, the Tory leader, as Reform UK won both seats in the March North and Waldersey division.
It was a poor day for Labour too, as they lost four seats - leaving them with just five on the county council.
There was better news for the Greens, as they gained their first three seats on the council, in the Romsey, Newnham and Abbey divisions of Cambridge.
The Greens’ gain in Newnham made it look like a wise move for county council leader Cllr Lucy Nethsingha to jump divisions and compete in Cambourne, where she saw off the challenge of Conservative and well-known community campaigner Shrobona Bhattacharya, who polled just 112 fewer votes. Reform UK’s Alison Elcox made have made a critical impact in the division, earning 594 votes.
The results mean the council now has the following composition (gains/losses compared to 2021 results):
Liberal Democrats: 31 seats (+11)
Conservatives: 10 (-18)
Reform UK: 10 (+10)
Labour: 5 (-4)
Green Party: 3 (+3)
Independents: 2 (no change)
In 2021, St Neots Independents also had two seats on the council.
Cllr Nethsingha said she was “relieved and delighted” to be re-elected.
She pledged that her party will work with others, adding it is “really important that parties work together to try and get the best outcomes for Cambridgeshire”.
The council is responsible for providing services including highways maintenance, adult and children’s social care, education and libraries.
The new administration at the county council will also have the task of contributing to the proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire.
The government has asked all the councils in the county to come up with a new local government structure that moves from the current two-tier system (where the services are split between the county council and district councils) to larger unitary councils, which would provide all council services in one place.
Under the current timetable that has been suggested for the local government changes to take place, councillors elected today could be the last to be elected to the county council before it no longer exists.
Cllr Nethsingha said this was an important issue for the county council over the next few years. She said: “I think a really important part of our role for the next few years is going to be making sure that we have as good a transition to the probable new unitary authorities that are going to be set up, and that we hand over a good strong set of services and financial position.”
More of our election coverage:
See the county council results in full here
Read our live blog from the day
What Paul Bristow had to say after being elected as mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
What the mayoral candidates had to say after Paul Bristow’s victory.
Additional reporting: Hannah Brown, Local Democracy Reporter
