The Hickford Inquiry (that had come to be known in the press as 'Farmgate'[14]) into the tenancy of a county council owned farm by sitting Conservative councillor Roger Hickford and the delay in releasing the report was widely discussed in social media and covered in the local press election campaign coverage. Allegations of bullying and insider trading were made against the Conservative deputy-leader.[15] Following the suspension of another Conservative councillor Simon King by his local party, over expenses submitted to Fenland District Council and the prime minister's flat refurbishment, there was a risk of allegations of sleaze dominating the campaign.[16] Both the seats in Roger Hickford's Sawston & Shelford ward were lost to the Liberal Democrats in the election, contributing to the Conservatives' loss of control of the council.[17]
In the 2021 local government elections the Conservatives nationally had a net gain of 13 councils in England. Cambridgeshire, however, was one of the few Conservative-held councils that was lost.[18]
Only the Conservative Party contested all 61 seats on the council. The Labour Party stood 55 candidates, not standing in six divisions in South Cambridgeshire. The Liberal Democrats stood 53 candidates, not standing in three divisions in Fenland nor in five divisions in Huntingdon District. The Green Party stood 49 candidates, including in all divisions in both Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. The UK Independence Party stood four candidates, with their best vote share coming in Wisbech West (one of two divisions where turnout was below 25%). The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition stood two candidates in Huntingdonshire divisions. The St Neots Independents Group's two candidates both retained their seats, as did the Independent Tom Sanderson in Huntingdon West; Independent candidate Stephen Ferguson gained the St Neots East & Gransden seat. Including these, a total of 13 Independent candidates stood: 6 in Huntingdonshire divisions, 6 in Fenland divisions, and 1 in Fulbourn division in South Cambridgeshire. The Workers Party of Britain stood one candidate, in Wisbech East division in Fenland.
The Conservatives retained all 9 Fenland seats[19] and gained one seat overall in Huntingdonshire, but their losses of 2 seats in East Cambs and 7 in South Cambs meant that they lost overall control.
Aftermath
On 7 May Conservative county councillor Josh Schumann told the Cambridge Independent: "It is an indication we are going to have to work with others to ensure that the council delivers a lot of what it has done over the last four years."[20]
A week later the BBC reported that the leaders of the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independent groups had signed an agreement for control of the council.[21]
Election of group leaders
Steve Count (March North & Waldersey) was reelected leader of the Conservative Group with Joshua Schumann (Burwell) as the deputy leader, Lucy Nethsingha (Newnham) was reelected leader of the Liberal Democrat Group with Lorna Dupré (Sutton) as the deputy, and Elisa Meschini (King's Hedges) was reelected leader of the Labour Group with Richard Howitt (Petersfield) becoming deputy leader.[22]
Election of leader of the council
Lucy Nethsingha, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group, was duly elected leader of the council and formed a coalition administration, with Labour leader Elisa Meschini as her deputy leader.[23]
Results by district
All electoral divisions elected one councillor unless stated otherwise.
Labour gained seats in Chesterton and Market divisions from the Liberal Democrats, as well regaining the Cherry Hinton seat previously held by a former Labour member who had quit the party to sit as an Independent, and who did not stand for re-election.[17]
It was a clean sweep for the Conservative Party in Fenland. Despite some very low turnouts and swings against some candidates, they held every seat. Among those returning was Conservative group leader Steve Count.[17]
The Conservative Party gained a couple of seats in Huntingdonshire from the Liberal Democrats, strengthening their hold on the area, losing by just 11 votes in St Neots East and Gransden to Stephen Ferguson (Independent).[17]
The Liberal Democrats in South Cambridgeshire gained six new seats from Conservatives across five divisions, and retained a seat that had been won in a 2020 by-election. The closest battle was in Hardwick, where Michael Atkins (Lib Dems) beat incumbent Lina Nieto (Con) by just five votes.[17]
Peter McDonald had gained the Duxford seat from Conservatives in a by-election in February 2020. The by-election, in which only two candidates stood, had resulted from incumbent and Conservative District Council leader Peter Topping standing down to relocate.
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