The author said the situation had left them lonely and depressed (FILE PIC) (Image: GETTY)
A letter penned by an anonymous member of staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council has offered a shocking insight into the impact of its across-the-board .
And the author offered a bleak verdict on their , describing it as “hard, isolating and depressing”.
The lengthy message was shared, in a slightly redacted form, by Cllr Heather Williams, Leader of the Opposition at South Cambs, who accused the Liberal Democrat-run authority of “using humans as guinea pigs”.
The council introduced a four-day working week trial for office-based staff in January 2023, whereby staff deliver 100% of their work in 80% of their contracted hours, receiving full pay. The trial was later expanded to include waste collection crews in September of that year.
However, critics argue that the reduction in working days compromises service delivery and value for taxpayers. Last year the Government removed a Best Value Notice previously awarded to SCDC for its four-day week working arrangements.
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Tory councillor Heather Williams (Image: Heather Williams)
The writer describes the council as a “cold and isolating” environment. The office feels empty, particularly on Mondays and Fridays, which are designated non-working days for many.
They explain: “The office often feels like one big empty shell. On a Monday and a Friday, you could hear a pin drop. It’s a very sad place to be and it’s not been good for my mental health. It’s so lonely working here. We’re quite a big council with lots of people, but l’ve never felt more alone.”
Additionally, the new system had had a negative impact on how the authority was perceived by taxpayers, the letter-writer stressed.
They said: “I understand why residents are annoyed. Would you want to pay council tax, knowing your council is having a paid day of every week? No. What’s more, residents don’t interact with their council unless they’ve got a problem.
“We collect people’s bins, collect their council tax, sort council housing and decide planning applications. Nobody wants to talk about any of these things unless they really have to. It’s annoying when your bin gets missed or when someone gets permission to build something you don’t like.
The headquarters of South Cambridgeshire District Council (Image: GETTY/SCDC)
“I understand this. And the 4-day week only gives residents extra frustration, because we’ve heard stories of people trying to contact the council and getting ‘out of office’ emails and struggling to get in touch. I don’t think it’s good for our reputation. I feel the public have lost trust in us.”
They concluded: “Working here is hard, isolating and, to be honest, depressing. I’m struggling with it a lot.
“So when people read about us in the news and say how much they’d love a 4-day week, I would encourage them to think again. Be careful what you wish for.”
Ms Williams said: “This is what happens when you use humans as guinea pigs. I thank the author of this letter for trusting me with it and I hope they and any other officer who is struggling feels they can come to me.
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Bridget Smith, the Liberal Democrat leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council (Image: Cambridgeshire Live)
“The issues they talk of are ones I have raised but have been dismissed. I am very concerned that the culture here under the Lib Dems is one of ‘get on board or keep quiet’ and that is not good for anyone.”
Liberal Democrat leader of SCDC Cllr Bridget Smith said: “It is irresponsible that the Conservative Group Leader chose not to share the full letter prior to the Conservative Group publishing it on social media and we can’t understand why a letter of this type wouldn’t be shared immediately, in full, with the Council’s People (HR) Team.
“It is unforgivable that she should publish a letter like this on social media purely for political gain, rather than going through the proper process. This behaviour falls far short of what most people expect of their elected representatives.
“Contrary to Cllr Heather Williams’ comment, any member of staff who has any wellbeing concern should please reach out to the Council’s People Team, or to their Union should they be a member of one, so that they can receive any support they need.
A spokesperson from South Cambridgeshire District Council said: “We take the welfare of our staff extremely seriously and this was a key reason for trialling a four-day week. We have clear, trusted processes that provide a range of support and can be used to flag any concerns.
“430 staff responded to our most recent health and wellbeing survey – which showed how mental health, physical health and motivation has risen. Staff told us they plan to stay working here for longer.
“There’s been an increase of over 50 per cent in the average number of applications we get for externally advertised jobs.
“More than 130 new staff joined us during the trial and 76 per cent said the four-day week influenced their decision to join.”