Councils undertaking four-day working week should “cease immediately”, Government says in updated guidance

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has announced that it “does not support” a four-day working week in local authorities, claiming the approach is a potential waste of taxpayers’ money.

In non-statutory guidance issued today (26 October), the Department warns that if councils disregard the advice and there is “evidence of service decline or failure”, DLUHC or another government department “may raise concerns directly with the authority, monitor performance more closely and consider options to correct declining performance”.

This comes after the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, criticised councils who are adopting a four-day working week “at the expense of others”.

Last month, South Cambridgeshire District Council announced that its trial of a four-day working week would continue, despite receiving a formal request from Local Government Minister Lee Rowley to end the trial.

Rowley argued that such an approach could impact the council's ‘Best Value Duty’ under the Local Government Act.

Queries raised included the council’s “missed target” to re-let housing stock on every month of the trial, a reduction in the number of calls answered by the contact centre, and the number, when answered, that were resolved first time.

The Government revealed today that it does not support trials, experimentation, or pilots of the four-day working week concept within the local government sector.

The guidance states: “Councils which are undertaking 4-day working week activities should cease immediately and others should not seek to pursue in any format.

“Value for local taxpayers is paramount and no further focus should be given by local authorities on this matter.” 

The Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cllr Bridget Smith, said: “Our initial three-month trial saw performance generally maintained, and in some cases improved – with not a single area falling to a concerning level. There was strong evidence it was helping us fill hard to recruit posts and improving retention, so we extended the trial to test that over a longer period."

"[...] At the end of the trial, we will present the evidence to residents and businesses and all councillors will then decide whether to continue with a four-day week. I wish the Government would take-up our offer of talking to us in-person about the trial so we can outline all the benefits we can evidence so far.”

In July, South Cambridgeshire District Council asked to meet with Lee Rowley MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. To date the request has not been responded to, the council revealed.

Lottie Winson