Local Government Secretary Warns Against Four-Day Working Weeks in English Councils
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has written to all English council leaders warning against introducing four-day working weeks. The letter emphasizes that councils should not offer full-time pay for part-time work without a compelling justification, viewing such practices as potential indicators of failure.
Reed stated that the government's four-day-week policy should be clearly understood by all councils. A Labour source echoed this sentiment, saying voters expect five days of high-standard service from councils and that a four-day week is unacceptable.
The Liberal Democrat-led South Cambridgeshire District Council was the first council to permanently move to a four-day week in July, after trialling a shorter week throughout 2023. Reed previously expressed deep disappointment with this move, noting declines in housing-service performance and inquiring how mitigation measures would be implemented.
The government retains the ability to intervene in any council deemed to be failing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also rejected civil servants' demands for a four-day working week last year.
Contrastingly, a Scottish public-sector pilot found productivity gains and improved staff well-being, with the Autonomy Institute reporting a 98% improvement in staff morale.
