And there will be puzzlement – and some disquiet – in Tory circles over whether they retain Steve Count as their leader.
He has been under pressure following the council’s refusal to publish a 480-page audit committee report into his former deputy Roger Hickford.
Mr Hickford quit two months ago and moved to Norfolk once the report was produced.
Legal advice given to the council prevented publication of the report that looked at a county council farms tenancy given to Mr Hickford prior to the 2017 election.
That report, so far unpublished, will be a priority aspiration for opposition groups who have consistently demanded its release into the public domain.
Cambridgeshire local election results: Conservatives lose control of Cambridgeshire County Council
It is still the largest party, but no party has an overall majority.
Updated
Liberal Democrat group leader Lucy Nethsingha and Conservative group leader Steve Count (Image: Cambridge News)
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The Conservative party has lost control of Cambridgeshire County Council in a shock result in the local elections.
The term of office for 60 of the 61 members of Cambridgeshire County Council is effectively over. Fresh elections will take place on May 6.
For one, of course, his time as a councillor, and that of a tenant of the council farms estate, ended abruptly and simultaneously some weeks earlier.
Roger Hickford resigned as deputy council leader and member for Sawston and Shelford on February 26.
It was ahead of a decision to be taken by his former council colleagues over whether to release a report of an investigation into his tenancy and interactions with the county farms team.
Tory Party chiefs, whilst confident of retaining control, have learned from past experience -including that of 2013 when UKIP delivered an extraordinary electoral blow – not to be complacent.
No one knows for sure, however, what affect the Hickford inquiry – that has come to be known as farmgate – will have on the minds of voters when they make their choices.
Fenland is critical to continued success for the party – it returned nine councillors, all Conservatives, for the eight divisions in 2017.
It includes the division of March North, the seat of council leader Steve Count, and that of Roman Bank where Simon King, eased out of Fenland Council by the Tory group over an expenses scandal, is clinging onto his political ambitions.
Wisbech itself may also offer an insight into how well independents fare with former Conservative turned independent Andy Maul taking on Steve Tierney.
The committee had been asked to rubber stamp a £183,000 investment at Manor Farm, previously approved by the commercial and investment committee. Cllr Hickford was not present.
The recommendation for approval was presented by chief finance officer and deputy chief executive Chris Malyon. No mention was made of the tenant’s name.
The cash was to cover professional fees (architects, structural engineers, building regulations), the build costs and a contingency fund. The council also funded asbestos removal from a barn and repaired it “to maintain its condition”.
Lib Dem leader Cllr Lucy Nethsingha queried the “really shocking lack of transparency about it”.