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MP criticises South Cambridgeshire council's four-day week plans

Steve Hubbard/BBC South Cambs DC officesSteve Hubbard/BBC
About 470 staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council would move to a four-day week if a January trial is approved

An MP has accused a council of "charging the taxpayer for the privilege" of moving to a four-day working week.

South Cambridgeshire District Council staff would receive the same full-time pay to work a 30-hour week, in a three-month trial proposed from January.

Anthony Browne, the MP for South Cambridgeshire, said the plan "equates to a 25% hourly pay increase".

Council leader Bridget Smith said the move would help staff wellbeing.

The council's cabinet is set to vote on the proposals on Monday.

In a letter to the leader, Conservative Mr Browne said the plans were "yet another poorly thought-out idea from the Lib Dems and another staggering failure by the administration".

"Using residents' taxes to pay for 20% less work is unreasonable," he said.

Mr Browne added: "They need to get their own house in order and give staff the support they need to succeed, not trial risky, untested and expensive flights of fancy at residents' expense.

"It is obviously concerning to hear that the working environment at the council is not a happy one.

"There is very little evidence at all to show that a four-day week works and certainly not in local government, which has unique responsibilities to the public."

Anthony Browne Anthony BrowneAnthony Browne
South Cambridgeshire MP, Anthony Browne, has criticised plans by the district council to consider a four-day week

Ms Smith, of the Liberal Democrats, said the move would "help with the wellbeing and retention of our existing staff" as well as enhance flexible working and create a "more diverse workforce".

She said: "We pay a wage to do a job - that's the modern way, the 21st Century way of thinking about it.

"The four-day week campaign talks about different ways of working. People have to be more productive within a shorter period of time.

Steve Hubbard/BBC Cllr Bridget SmithSteve Hubbard/BBC
Bridget Smith, leader of the council, said the move would improve work-life balance

"This has a dramatic effect on health and wellbeing.

"It is about trying to make us an employer of choice within local government so we can attract the talent and give our residents the best service they expect."

She said the effectiveness of the trial would be closely monitored.

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