South Cambridgeshire District Council staff less stressed on four-day week trial

About 470 staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council are trialling a four-day week

More than 60% of council workers on a four-day working week trial said they were less stressed, a report said.

Desk-based staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council are taking part in the trial until March.

The trial involves colleagues working a 30-hour week on the same full-time pay.

Two weeks into the trial, 63% of workers said they felt "less stressed" or "much less stressed", while 17% said they were "a little stressed", the district council's report said.

Sixty percent of colleagues said they had enough time to do their jobs, but 17% said they did not.

The South Cambridgeshire MP, Anthony Browne, previously criticised the four-day working week plans

The MP for South Cambridgeshire, Anthony Browne, previously criticised the trial, which he said equated to "a 25% hourly pay increase".

Council leader Bridget Smith said the trial would help staff wellbeing and recruitment.

There are plans to trial the four-day working week for refuse collectors working with South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council's Shared Waste Service.

If the plans are approved by portfolio holders, the trial would begin in the summer.

The report issued by the district council said the first survey of workers taking part in the trial "showed positive results, but caution is advised given the very early stage of the trial".