Title

POLICY AND POLITICS

Reed raises concerns over four-day week

Local government secretary Steve Reed has raised concerns about South Cambridgeshire DC’s four-day week.

Local government secretary Steve Reed © repic/shutterstock

Local government secretary Steve Reed © repic/shutterstock

Local government secretary Steve Reed has raised concerns about South Cambridgeshire DC's four-day week. 

In a letter to council leader Bridget Smith, Reed said an ‘independent report' had shown that ‘performance declined in key housing-related services, including rent collection, reletting times and tenant satisfaction with repairs'.

Reed said he would ‘like to understand how the council is seeking to mitigate the impact to those services that have worsened over the course of four-day working week trial' and requested a meeting with Cllr Smith to ‘provide that assurance'.

Cllr Smith has agreed to meet to discuss Reed's concerns.

In a statement, she said: ‘The independently assessed data for the trial showed that all key performance indicators had either improved or remained the same, bar three relating to housing.

‘Independent analysis shows that these three isolated indicators were due to factors completely independent of the four-day working week and we are, in fact, in the top quartile nationally and performance is improving further.'

 

POLICY AND POLITICS

'Concerned' Reed launches anti-profiteering push

By Dan Peters | 21 May 2026

‘Concerned’ local government secretary Steve Reed has vowed to ‘take action’ to tackle ‘profiteering’ in parts of the sector.

POLICY AND POLITICS

English devolution: Redefining mayoral scrutiny

By Natalie Rotherham | 20 May 2026

Natalie Rotherham says scrutiny is becoming a core pillar of England’s evolving devolved governance system, with mayoral accountability now expected to match...

POLICY AND POLITICS

Borough's chief executive announced

By Martin Ford | 14 May 2026

Former civil servant Zulfiqar Darr has been appointed as Broxtowe BC’s chief executive.

POLICY AND POLITICS

Ministers still unconvinced by Tees Valley's Best Value

By Paul Marinko | 27 April 2026

The Government has said it continues to require assurances that Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is fulfilling its Best Value Duty.

Popular articles by Izzy Lepone