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<\/p>\nTwo weeks after the local elections, councils across Cambridgeshire have been holding their annual meetings.<\/p>\n
Leaders are formally selected and other important positions are allocated.<\/p>\n
Four councils in the area had elections this year, with a new cohort of councillors starting in the role.<\/p>\n
Three of those councils, Cambridge, Peterborough and Huntingdonshire, are in no overall control. That means no one party has enough councillors to run things on their own.<\/p>\n
Stalemate at Cambridge City<\/p>\n
The council’s annual meeting took place at the Guildhall [Emma Howgego\/BBC]<\/p>\n
Labour has run the city council for over a decade. However, following the elections it was reduced to 17 out of a possible 42 seats.<\/p>\n
A heated annual meeting took place on Thursday,<\/a> where only the Labour group leader Katie Thornburrow was nominated to head the council. But opposition Greens and Liberal Democrats voted it down.<\/p>\n After a few more hours of discussion another vote took place, again with only Thornburrow nominated as leader. Again the opposition voted it down.<\/p>\n It was agreed that the meeting should be adjourned until 1 June to allow more time for discussions between the groups.<\/p>\n The meeting heard that the council had to have a leader in place by 2 June, otherwise the authority will not be able to hold decision-making meetings.<\/p>\n They did manage to elect a new mayor for the forthcoming year. The position was won by new councillor Maria Cleminson.<\/p>\n She is also the first mayor from the Green party. The role of mayor is a ceremonial one, but they also chair council meetings and have the casting vote if decisions are tied.<\/p>\n Easy vote at South Cambridgeshire The Liberal Democrats took 43 of the 45 seats at South Cambridgeshire this year [Emma Howgego\/BBC]<\/p>\n Whilst Cambridge City was holding discussions on Thursday afternoon, a much shorter meeting was taking place at the same time in neighbouring South Cambridgeshire.<\/p>\n Liberal Democrat leader Bridget Smith, whose party secured 43 out of the 45 seats available, was re-elected as leader.<\/p>\n Much of her cabinet remains the same. She described them as “a dedicated team focused on a fairer, kinder and greener South Cambridgeshire”.<\/p>\n Peterborough re-elects leader Shabina Qayyum has been the leader of the city council since September [Emma Baugh\/BBC]<\/p>\n Labour leader Shabina Qayyum was chosen to carry on in the position of council leader in Peterborough.<\/p>\n Despite losing seats in the election, Labour is working with the Liberal Democrats and the local group Peterborough First. Its councillor Neil Boyce will serve as deputy leader.<\/p>\n The cabinet contains many people who served before the election.<\/p>\n This year’s mayor is Chris Harper<\/a>, the group leader of Peterborough First.<\/p>\n Like in Cambridge, the mayor’s position is a ceremonial one. However, unlike Cambridge, the city choose their longest serving councillor who has not held the position before.<\/p>\n Coalition in Huntingdonshire<\/p>\n A coalition of Liberal Democrats, Independents and Greens are in control at Huntingdonshire District Council. <\/a><\/p>\n The Liberal Democrat leader Sarah Conboy was re-elected as executive leader. Their coalition is made up of 26 members out of 52 on the council.<\/p>\n It means every vote could be tight, with the chair’s casting vote potentially being used. That position was won by Green party member Stephen Ferguson.<\/p>\n The party has 15 Conservatives, 10 Reform UK members and one Labour councillor in opposition.<\/p>\n Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.<\/p>\n Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and X<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this story![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/a757f5fca4ce71a93922dd323c143524.jpeg\"\/)
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