Ministers have sent out formal guidance to councils in England to avoid them implementing four-day working weeks.
The non-statutory guidance from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities states: “The government does not support a four-day working week in local authorities, as it does not believe that it delivers local taxpayers value for money.”
It adds that should councils disregard the guidance not to adopt such arrangements, DLUHC or another government department could “raise concerns directly with the authority”, monitor it more closely and “consider options” if performance declines.
The guidance was issued this week following previous interventions from MPs, including Lee Rowley, minister for local government, telling South Cambridgeshire district council to “end the practice immediately” after it reported a successful four-day week trial.
Four-day weeks in councils
Local government minister asks council to stop four-day week trial
The council continued to run the arrangement despite criticism, presenting evidence that it had reduced agency worker costs and filled previously empty roles as it was better able to attract and retain workers.
In the trial, council staff were paid the same, but worked 20% fewer hours. A number of other councils, including Norwich, are looking into the feasibility of similar trials. The Scottish government is also considering a four-day public sector working week.
In the guidance, the department insists it supports employees’ rights to request flexible working so they can change hours, timing or location of work.
However, it states this is “clearly different” to the four-day working week because the latter is an organisation-wide approach to pay and working hours, rather than something led by an individual.
It adds that councils have a statutory requirement to deliver good value to residents under the ‘Best Value Duty’ within the Local Government Act.
“It is the government’s view that the implementation of the four-day week is unlikely to demonstrate adherence to the Best Value Duty.
“Neither, for clarity, does the government support trials, experimentation, or pilots (or equivalent) of the 4-day working week concept within the local government sector,” the guidance says.
Rowley said the government is “crystal clear” in not supporting the adoption of four-day weeks in councils. He said: “Local authorities that are considering adopting it should not do so. Those who have adopted it already should end those practices immediately.
“Those councils who continue to disregard this guidance are now on notice that the Government will take necessary steps in the coming months ahead to ensure that this practice is ended within local government.”
One council leader quoted in the Guardian newspaper called the government’s advice “a massive overreach”.
Another, councillor Pete Marland, chair of the Local Government Association’s resources board, said: “More than nine in 10 councils are experiencing staff recruitment and retention difficulties across a diverse range of skills, professions and occupations.
“It is councils who know what works best for their community, workforce and in their wider labour market conditions. They should be free to pilot innovative solutions to address local challenges and deliver crucial services to their residents. Local voters should be the ones making a judgement on whether local council leaders have made good choices and delivered value for local taxpayers.”
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