South Cambridgeshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, England, with a population of 162,119 at the 2021 census.^[3] It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It completely surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by Cambridge City Council.

On the abolition of South Herefordshire and Hereford districts to form the unitary Herefordshire in 1998, South Cambridgeshire became the only English district to completely encircle another. South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council work together on some projects, such as the Greater Cambridge Local Plan.^[4] Since 2017 the district has been a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, led by the directly-elected Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.^[5]

South Cambridgeshire has scored highly on the best places to live, according to Channel 4, which ranked South Cambridgeshire as the fifth-best place to live in 2006.^[6] A Halifax survey rated South Cambridgeshire the best place to live in rural Britain, and sixth best overall in 2017.^[7]

In 2010 South Cambridgeshire had the highest median household income in the county of Cambridgeshire.^[8]

In January 2023 the council started a three-month trial of a four day working week, with the intention of extending the trial until April 2024. Conservative local government minister, Lee Rowley, ordered the trial be halted, claiming it would breach the Local Government Act.^[9][10]

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:^[11]

• Chesterton Rural District
• South Cambridgeshire Rural District

The new district was named South Cambridgeshire, reflecting its position within the wider county.^[12]

South Cambridgeshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Cambridgeshire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[13]

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2018 the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[17]

Cambridge Airport is located in South Cambridgeshire.^[20]

The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway passes through South Cambridgeshire.

ScotAirways has its head office on the grounds of Cambridge Airport in South Cambridgeshire.^[20][21]

Jenny Jefferies an author of several cook books and member of the Guild of Food Writers.

Abington Piggotts – Arrington – Babraham – Balsham – Bar Hill – Barrington – Bartlow – Barton – Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth – Bourn – Boxworth – Caldecote – Cambourne – Carlton – Castle Camps – Caxton – Childerley – Chishills – Chittering – Comberton – Conington – Coton – Cottenham – Croxton – Croydon – Dry Drayton – Duxford – Elsworth – Eltisley – Fen Ditton – Fen Drayton – Fowlmere – Foxton – Fulbourn – Gamlingay – Girton – Grantchester – Graveley – Great Abington – Great Eversden – Great Shelford – Great Wilbraham – Guilden Morden – Hardwick – Harlton – Harston – Haslingfield – Hatley – Hauxton – Heydon – Hildersham – Hinxton – Histon – Horseheath – Horningsea – Ickleton – Impington – Kingston – Knapwell – Landbeach – Linton – Litlington – Little Abington – Little Eversden – Little Gransden – Little Shelford – Little Wilbraham – Lolworth – Longstanton – Longstowe – Madingley – Melbourn – Meldreth – Milton – Newton – Oakington – Orchard Park – Orwell – Over – Pampisford – Papworth Everard – Papworth St Agnes – Rampton – Sawston – Shepreth – Shingay cum Wendy – Shudy Camps – Six Mile Bottom – Stapleford – Steeple Morden – Stow-cum-Quy – Swavesey – Tadlow – Teversham – Thriplow & Heathfield – Toft – Waterbeach – West Wickham – West Wratting – Weston Colville – Westwick – Whaddon – Whittlesford – Willingham – Wimpole

The council's coat of arms contains a tangential reference to the coat of arms of the University of Cambridge^[23] by way of the coat of arms of Cambridge suburb Chesterton.^[24] The motto, Niet Zonder Arbyt, means "Nothing Without Work" (or effort) in pre-standard Dutch; the only Dutch motto in British civic heraldry. It was originally the motto of Cornelius Vermuyden, who drained the Fens in the 17th century. The council uses a monochrome depiction of its coat of arms as its logo.