Title

PAY

Council to trial four-day week

South Cambridgeshire DC is planning to begin a three-month trial of a four-day week to attract new staff.

South Cambridgeshire DC is planning to begin a three-month trial of a four-day week to attract new staff.

The council has struggled to fill all of its vacant positions. 

If senior councillors agree to the trial, which would take place between January and March, the council will closely monitor what impact it has on services for residents and businesses.

Research from Henley Business School, cited by the council, showed that organisations offering a four-day week benefit from an improved ability to attract and retain talent.

Council leader Bridget Smith said: ‘The trial would be all about seeing if a four-day week has the same positive impact on productivity, staff wellbeing and recruitment in local government, as seen elsewhere.

‘As a council we are leading the way on this; it could be truly ground-breaking for councils nationally.

'We only filled around half our vacancies during the first few months of this year and using temporary agency staff in these office roles costs us more than £2m a year.

'We know that if we instead filled those roles permanently it would only cost around £1m a year.'

PAY

The National Housing Bank: Will it help councils build?

By Jack Shaw | 21 November 2025

The question of whether the National Housing Bank becomes a central plank of housebuilding and renewal or a missed opportunity will depend on the choices the...

PAY

Council calls for elections delay

By Izzy Lepone | 20 November 2025

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has asked the Government to postpone next year’s local government elections amid reorganisation in Lancashire.

PAY

EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs' pay slump

By Dan Peters | 20 November 2025

Chief executives’ advertised salaries drop below four-year inflation rate, The MJ’s data analysis reveals.

PAY

Counting the measurable impact of libraries

By James Pearson | 20 November 2025

James Pearson explains how the South East regional network of Libraries Connected used Treasury-approved methods to to show the value generated by everyday l...

Popular articles by William Eichler