Conservatives vow to outlaw councils working four-day week

A Conservative government would look to pass a law banning council staff from working a four-day week for five days' pay, according to a shadow secretary of state. Sir James Cleverly said the practice was "an insult" and that "custodians of the public purse" had "an enhanced duty to make sure they're delivering value for money". Liberal Democrat-run South Cambridgeshire District Council became the first authority to permanently adopt a four-day week in July 2025, after trialling it since 2023. Party leader Sir Ed Davey backed the policy and said he supported "local councils deciding with their local people what is best for their community". Council staff in South Cambridgeshire, as well as those in bin collection and planning departments shared with Cambridge City Council, work about 85% of their contracted hours with no reduction in pay. The authority previously said it was "suffering more than most councils from problems arising from recruitment and retention challenges". Since introducing the policy, staff turnover had fallen by 41%, from 83 "voluntary leavers" in 2022 to 49 in 2024, the council said. The number of applications for jobs at the council increased by 123%, from an