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South Cambridgeshire council agrees to trial four-day week

Steve Hubbard/BBC South Cambs DC officesSteve Hubbard/BBC
About 470 staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council will work a four-day week in January in a three-month trial

A council is to go ahead with trialling a four-day week for desk-based staff.

South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) will observe the practice for three months from January - with further trials involving bin crews to follow, if successful.

The council's cabinet agreed to the 30-hour week on Monday.

The MP for South Cambridgeshire, Anthony Browne, has criticised the work change, which would see staff receive the same full-time pay.

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

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

But Mr Browne, said the plan "equates to a 25% hourly pay increase".

There are approximately 470 desk-based council staff who will be able to take part.

As part of the trial, the council will also look to see whether it can extend the hours that it is open to the public via the telephone, a soon-to-be-launched webchat service and Teams/Zoom meetings.

SCDC said it would be monitoring service levels achieved during the trial.

The authority, which had struggled to recruit staff, hopes the new working pattern will encourage more people to join.

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

Liberal Democrat council leader, Bridget Smith, said: "This is all about seeing whether the benefits on productivity, staff wellbeing and recruitment can be seen in local government as demonstrated in the private sector.

"We only filled around half our vacancies during the first few months of this year and using temporary agency staff instead is expensive.

"Additionally, we think that this will help us attract a more diverse workforce. If we can help reduce the financial burden of caring and childcare costs, I believe we will open ourselves up as an employer to more people and in turn help them deal with the rising cost of living."

Cambridge City Council which has a joint planning service with SCDC, will consider the proposals and implications for that service on 10 October 2022.

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