Blueprint Revealed for Council’s Groundbreaking Four-Day Work Week Consultation

Details on how individuals may convey their opinions regarding the services of South Cambridgeshire District Council during a trial of a four-day workweek have been released.

A document set for discussion at the Council’s Scrutiny and Overview Committee next week outlines proposals for an eight-week public consultation. Pending final approval, there will be a comprehensive consultation open to anyone, anywhere – commencing at 9am on Monday, 27 January. This consultation is intended to extend for eight weeks, concluding at 11.59pm on Sunday, 23 March.

Since South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City councils collaborate on certain vital services – notably Greater Cambridge Shared Planning and Greater Cambridge Shared Waste – residents of Cambridge city will be encouraged to share their experiences regarding these services.

The feedback collected throughout the consultation will assist District Councillors in determining the future course of action regarding the four-day workweek at the Council.

The consultation has been organized to allow residents to express their opinions on their experiences with Council services since January 2023, when the four-day week trial commenced.

The Council introduced the idea of a four-day week – where employees fulfill 100% of their work in about 80% of their hours for 100% of their pay – to tackle pressing recruitment and retention challenges.

After a thorough and independent evaluation of an initial three-month trial, the period was extended for an additional year, while the Council continued its approach as they awaited further guidance from the Government.

During the Local Government Finance Settlement consultation for 2024/25, released in December 2023, the preceding Government consulted on the possibility of implementing financial incentives, effective from April 2025, to discourage councils from adopting four-day workweeks. Until more details emerged, Cabinet members felt it was impractical for the Council to conduct a meaningful consultation and determine subsequent actions.

The new Government’s Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, published on 18 December last year, did not mention any financial incentives that the prior Government had suggested. Consequently, the Council is now in a position to proceed with the consultation.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr John Williams, remarked: “We have consistently emphasized our intention to provide residents, businesses, parish and town councils, and community organizations with an opportunity to express their opinions regarding the effects on services they have experienced during our four-day workweek arrangement. Until now, we have been unable to do so due to the threats made by the previous Government. With those threats removed, we can commence this process. Our method is crafted to ensure that those who have utilized our services during the four-day week can rapidly and conveniently share their thoughts – although anyone from any location is welcome to contribute.”

Cllr Mike Davey, Leader of Cambridge City Council, commented: “We have backed the four-day week trial from the outset, as South Cambridgeshire District Council strives to discover innovative solutions to the recruitment and retention issues that councils across the UK are encountering, which also impacts the cost of service delivery. We have consistently expressed that our primary concern is ensuring services for residents are provided consistently and to a high standard, which we’ve monitored closely throughout. It’s appropriate that residents are given the chance to provide feedback on their experiences with Council services during the trial, and we will ensure that the consultation is effectively promoted to Cambridge residents when it begins, to amplify their voices.”

The purpose of the four-day workweek at the Council is to attract and retain skilled staff within a remarkably competitive local job market. It also aims to enhance service delivery by permanently filling vacant positions instead of depending on pricier agency personnel. Frequent turnover of staff or reliance on agency workers can be both costly and disruptive to the services for residents.

Last summer, an independent assessment conducted by two universities evaluated the Council’s performance during its four-day workweek trial. Of the 24 key performance metrics monitored by the Council, the analysis from the Universities of Cambridge and Salford found that 22 either improved or remained stable. Areas that showed improvement included the percentage of calls answered at the Council’s Contact Centre, average time taken to determine household planning applications, and average duration to process Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support changes.

A financial evaluation of the trial was also carried out, revealing a known annual cost saving of £371,500. This was primarily due to successfully filling 10 positions that were previously recognized as ‘hard to fill’. The financial savings alleviated the Council’s budget overspend because it eliminated the need for more expensive agency alternatives to fill those 10 roles.

The Council has maintained its operational hours, ensuring it remains open for business just as it was prior to the trial – with extended hours on Wednesdays as well.