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.'