Government cracks down on four-day-week council: Minister is ‘deeply disappointed’ with local authority saying housing services have slumped

The government has written to the first council in the country to implement a four-day working week following reports of deterioration in services.

Communities Minister Steve Reed expressed his ‘deep disappointment’ in a letter to South Cambridgeshire district council leader Bridget Smith.

The district council became the first local authority to prosecute staff working 80 per cent of their contracted hours this summer, giving refuse collectors and social housing staff 100 per cent of their wages for working just four days.

It said it expects to save around £400,000 a year due to reduced staff turnover and less reliance on agency workers.

A further 25 councils are now considering the move, amid fears it will reduce productivity and put pressure on public finances.

But central government does not currently have the power to force councils to stop the four-day week or tell them how many days they must work.

Mr Reed sought answers in a letter to Ms Smith, the Liberal Democrat leader in South Cambridgeshire, following reports of a deterioration in council services.

In the leaked quotes, Mr Reed claimed an independent study had found that essential housing-related services in South Cambridgeshire were being denied ‘particularly where vulnerable residents may be affected’.

In leaked parts of the letter, Mr Reed claimed a study had found that essential housing-related services in South Cambridgeshire were being denied ‘particularly where vulnerable residents may be affected’.

‘We will not micromanage councils. We want to move power away from Whitehall,’ a source at the Department for Communities said. Telegram.

‘However, when we see unacceptable behavior we will speak out. This waste of taxpayers’ money is completely unacceptable. ‘Voters deserve the respect of the five-day week.’

Mr Reed claimed an independent study had found that essential housing-related services in South Cambridgeshire were being denied ‘particularly where vulnerable residents may be affected’.

In his letter to Ms Smith he wrote: ‘The independent report shows that performance has fallen across key housing-related services, including rent collection, re-let times and tenant satisfaction with repairs, particularly where vulnerable residents may be affected.

‘If social housing is being built by this Government and your team cannot move residents into them so they sit empty, then I must reiterate my deep disappointment at your behaviour.’

Mr Reed added that he was ‘seeking assurance’ about the hearing; He noted that this was not government policy for local authorities to offer full-time pay for part-time work.

“In particular, I would like to understand how the council sought to mitigate the impact on deteriorating services during the four-day working week trial,” he wrote.

He added that he wanted to meet with the municipal office to ‘provide this assurance’.

South Cambridgeshire began a three-month pilot spread over a four-day week for 450 desk-based staff in January 2023, claiming early checks showed services were unaffected but staff were happier.

In May of the same year, he decided to continue the case for another 12 months and extended the case to include garbage collectors and cleaners.

The then Tory government wrote to the council’s leader, Bridget Smith, demanding an end to the experiment, but it continued regardless.

Figures revealed in an independent report earlier this year showed 16 per cent of staff were doing ‘other paid work’ on extra days off; However, the council’s website states that the furlough period is to allow employees to ‘recover and re-energise’ for the ‘more intense’ four-day week.

The council claims that many of those working the second job are waste workers who traditionally take on other jobs once morning bin collections are finished.

Further research by the Universities of Salford, Bradford and Cambridge mentioned in the letter found that 21 of 24 services improved or remained the same with the use of the four-day week.

But a survey of residents found that nine of 13 services under the program declined, four remained the same and none improved.

Miss Smith said so.’He was extremely disappointed when he received the letter and said ‘we are an extremely high performing council’.

The council leader added that they ‘saved around £400,000 annually, maintaining and improving performance’.

He said the council’s turnover had fallen by 41 per cent and the number of applications for advertised roles had increased by 123 per cent.

A council spokesman said Ms Smith had agreed to meet Mr Reed.

Conservative shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly said: ‘Labour has reversed our work to get civil servants back into the office and the Unemployment Bill will make working from home more common.

‘Labour is not serious about ensuring the public sector is accountable and delivers value to taxpayers.

‘South Cambridgeshire may be the first council to adopt a four-day week permanently, but it won’t be the last under Labour’s leadership. ‘Under Labour, you’ll pay more taxes and get worse services.’

Elliot Keck, campaign director at TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘South Cambridgeshire district council has imposed a part-time council on its residents for years.

‘This has led to a decline in services and a shocking democratic deficit, with councilors barely able to vote for years to come.

‘Steve Reed is right to appoint them and should leave no options off the table when it comes to dealing with this rogue local authority.’