Council tax leap to fuel road improvements

Cambridgeshire residents may soon face an extra £80 a year on their council tax bills if new proposals from Cambridgeshire County Council go ahead.

The council says the 4.99% increase is needed to keep essential services running and support a range of improvement projects. They acknowledge that many households are still struggling, but add that there’s help available for those who find it hard to pay.

As part of the new budget, the council plans to invest over £40 million in fixing and improving roads, footpaths, cycleways, and drainage systems. There’s also a proposal to spend £20 million over three years to support adult social care providers, and £6.8 million on low-carbon heating in schools and other council buildings.

Council leader Lucy Nethsingha (Liberal Democrat) said it has been a challenging budget to put together. Rising costs—such as an increase in national insurance and the growing number of children needing home-to-school transport—have put extra pressure on the council’s finances.

The council estimates a £34.2 million budget shortfall by 2025/26, but says it won’t dip into its emergency reserves. Instead, it hopes the extra council tax revenue—around £20 million—will help maintain vital services. Over half of the people who responded to a public consultation said they would support a council tax rise to protect essential services.

Cllr Nethsingha encourages anyone struggling to pay council tax to contact the council, as there are schemes and advice available. Deputy leader Elisa Meschini (Labour) stressed that the money raised directly supports services that help keep families safe and well.

While £41 million will be invested in roads over two years, the council admits it’s not enough to quickly fix all existing problems. Cllr Nethsingha estimates around £600 million would be needed to fully restore the county’s roads. For now, the focus is on preventing things from getting worse and steadily improving over time.