Overview

• Cambridge City Council has made four-day weeks permanent for staff in shared planning and waste services, joining South Cambridgeshire District Council in extending the model to all its employees
• An independent review cited by South Cambridgeshire found 21 of 24 services maintained or improved performance, job applications rose over 120%, staff turnover fell by more than 40% and nearly £400,000 was saved on agency costs
• Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Fermanagh and Omagh councils have launched feasibility studies or passed motions to explore their own four-day week trials
• The Four Day Week Foundation has published a target list of at least 24 more local authorities it hopes to recruit for new public-sector trials
• Critics including the TaxPayers’ Alliance and Conservative politicians warn that reduced working days could undermine service delivery and lead to higher council tax burdens for residents