Top frequently asked questions
Bin collections
Find out which day your bin is collected, report a missed bin collection, request a new bin, find out what you can recycle and more in the District Council’s bins and recycling pages.
Branches or foliage obstructing paths or roads
You can report overhanging trees or foliage online to the County Council Highways Reporting Tool. Faults reported in this way will be assessed within 10 working days by the County Council.
Bus Services
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is responsible for bus services information as it is the local transport authority. Further information is also available on the real time bus information pages of the County Council website, where there is also on how to download the My Bus Trip app.
Flooding
Find out who is responsible for which services by visiting the District Council’s flooding web page. The District Council does not provide a sandbag service to residents. Generally, it is the responsibility of residents to protect their own properties from flooding. The District Council does have a limited supply of sandbags that can be delivered to domestic properties that are at imminent risk of flooding only. This is aimed at the most vulnerable residents and only intended for people who have no friends, family or neighbours who can assist them fast enough or in advance.
- Flooding from a sewer: This is likely the responsibility of Anglian Water. You can report an issue to them online or call them on 0345 791 9155
- Blocked drain on the road or pavement: This is likely the responsibility of Cambridgeshire County Council. You can report an issue to them online
- Flooded property or garden: You can report external flooding to gardens or paths, or report that you have already experienced flooding within the living space of your home, to Cambridgeshire County Council. It may be possible to investigate the cause of flooding or offer advice. However, remember that it is the home-owner’s responsibility to protect their own properties from flooding
- Flooding at a South Cambridgeshire District Council property: The District Council’s Housing Services team will fix any serious drainage problem. Call our free repairs hotline on 0800 085 1313 to report an emergency repair.
Housing Fraud
Housing fraud occurs when a person applies for a Council house and submits an application with false or misleading information. This would be to gain a tenancy they wouldn’t have otherwise been given or to gain the tenancy ahead of those in more urgent need. Housing fraud exists in a number of ways and can be a crime. If you have information then complete the online form, email the District Council on fraud@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 713 000.
Litter
Litter and dog waste bins are emptied according to the street care team schedule for each area in the district. Please contact the District Council if you would like to report an overflowing bin, or request a new litter or dog waste bin, on streets@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 713 000.
Follow the link to report environmental crimes such as fly tipping, dumped cars, dog fouling, graffiti or other littering crimes to the District Council.
If you, your parish council, school or local community group would like to organise a voluntary litter-picking event in your area, the District Council can support you by lending litter grabbers and gloves (and so can some parish councils).
Noise Nuisance
Section 79(1) of the Environmental Protection Act requires the local authority to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to investigate complaints that relate to:
- Noise from premises (both domestic and commercial)
- Noise from vehicles or equipment in a street (for example, car alarms but not traffic noise)
- Noise from amplified music in the street (for example, car stereos)
- Noise from machinery or equipment in the street
- Noise from bird scarers (if only advice is required then refer to the National Farmers Union Code of Practice [PDF])
You can report noise nuisance to the District Council.
Planning compliance
Our planning service is managed by the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning team. This is a shared service for us and Cambridge City Council. Our planning website content is primarily hosted on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning website. There, you can find information on looking up and commenting on planning applications, planning guidance and how to deal with breaches of planning control.
Potholes
You can report highways faults in Cambridgeshire including potholes, by using the online County Council Highways Reporting Tool. Faults reported in this way will be assessed by the County Council within 10 working days.
Public Rights of Way
The County Council is responsible for public rights of way, village greens and commons or open access land. Find out more by looking at the County Council’s Definitive Map and Statement and Protecting and providing green spaces guidance.
Speeding
To find out about reduction measures like speed humps visit the speed reduction schemes webpage of Cambridgeshire County Council.
Community Speedwatch is a scheme set up for the public to let Police know about locations where they’re concerned about speeding. Cambridgeshire Police will assess the location to see if it’s a good and safe place for monitoring to happen. If so, trained members of the community will visit the location to record the details of offending vehicles. If you’d like to join a Community Speed Watch group near you, or want to know more, email Speedwatch@cambs.police.uk or read the Police volunteer guidance and registration form.
Street Lighting
Cambridgeshire County Council, as the Highway Authority, is responsible for most streetlights, including illuminated signs and bollards.
As a permitted lighting authority, the District Council has responsibility for a small number of lights (around 1,800), generally in residential areas in 84 villages within South Cambridgeshire. These streetlights are maintained in partnership with Parish Councils, where we have responsibility for maintaining the lights, whilst Parish Councils pay for electricity. In some instances, Parish Councils will also have their own streetlights.
All South Cambridgeshire District Council owned streetlights can be found on the map in the link and begin with the prefix ‘SC’. For streetlights belonging to the district council, urgent faults that pose an immediate risk of injury can be reported on:
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm: 01954 713000
Out of office hours (after 5pm) and weekends 01354 654321
Where a streetlight does not begin with this ‘SC’ prefix please make a note of it and report it to Cambridgeshire County Council.
Street Sweeping
If you think that your village needs attention or want to check when the street sweepers will be in your area, then contact streets@scambs.gov.uk
Ukraine guests and hosts
If you would like to find out more about becoming a host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, how to support guests or how to link up with groups where guests can socialise then visit our support for Ukraine webpage.
