Funding services in South Cambridgeshire
We charge one of the lowest Council Taxes in the country to provide services to residents and businesses. Council Tax helps to fund this, but it's only one part of the funding we receive.
The table below shows our budget for next year and compares it to last year. This is made up of money from different sources.
The business rates figures are shown after deducting amounts we have to pay to central government, the county council and the fire authority – so we only keep around 5% of the business rates we collect.
| Source | 2024 to 2025 (£million) | 2025 to 2026 (£million) |
|---|---|---|
| Grants from Government | -0.44 | -0.48 |
| Retained business rates | -22.18 | -18.33 |
| New Homes Bonus | -1.76 | -1.88 |
| Investment income | -7.53 | -7.83 |
| Service Related Income - including fees and charges | -39.92 | -45.15 |
| Council tax |
-19.24 |
-20.35 |
| Other income |
-1.07 |
-0.55 |
| Total |
-92.13 |
-94.57 |
As shown in the table, the grant we receive from central government has been cut again next year. This follows a number of reductions over recent years.
Total spend for services in South Cambridgeshire
The table below shows how we plan to use the money we have available to provide services in the district. It compares spending in service areas from this financial year to what we spent last year.
| Source | 2024 to 2025 (£million) | 2025 to 2026 (£million) |
|---|---|---|
| Climate, Environment & Facilities Management | 2.45 | 3.36 |
| Waste collection | 17 | 21.81 |
| Planning services | 12.9 | 13.05 |
| Corporate management and elections | 2.38 | 2.57 |
| Economic development and commercial investment | 2.51 | 0.94 |
| Housing | 5.6 | 5.98 |
| Finance services | 1.64 | 1.46 |
| Housing Benefits and local taxation | 15.89 | 17.48 |
| Legal services | 0.16 | 0.18 |
| Other corporate changes and contributions | 24.58 | 21.70 |
| Transformation, HR and corporate services | 7.02 | 6.04 |
| Total | 92.13 | 94.57 |
The Council Tax and Housing Benefit figures are shown after deducting amounts we get from central government to pass onto those receiving support.
Our waste and recycling budget includes the funding to provide this service in Cambridge too. This is because we run a shared service with Cambridge City Council.