Dan Peters 29 June 2022

LGA Conference: Sector should consider offering four-day week

LGA Conference: Sector should consider offering four-day week image
Image: Steve Heap/Shutterstock.com.

Councils may have to consider offering a four-day week in order to attract the staff desperately needed by the sector, a workshop at the Local Government Association’s (LGA) annual conference has heard.

Head of workforce at the LGA, Naomi Cooke, told delegates the sector was facing a ‘crisis of recruitment’ that was leading to a ‘crisis in capacity’.

She admitted local government was the lowest paid part of the public sector and potential candidates were often lured by ‘less stressful and better paid work’ for supermarkets.

Ms Cooke added: ‘That is a major problem.

'Pay may not always be competitive but the pension is.

'We can do more to promote our employment offer.’

Asked whether local government should consider a four-day week as in parts of the private sector, South Cambridgeshire DC leader, Bridget Smith, said: ‘Absolutely we can do it.

'We’ve got to sell ourselves better.

'We do have flexibility.’

However, Rugby BC’s head of paid service, Mannie Ketley, warned the increase in flexible working had ‘fuelled a crisis’ because increased opportunities in the interim market were luring away people who were previously open to permanent roles.

Ms Ketley said: ‘At my own local authority we have interims who earn more than I do frankly.

'We are rapidly losing professionals to that [interim] market.

'If we as a sector continue perpetuating this we are actually going to pay the price.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Makaton Tutor - Part Time / Term Time

Essex County Council
£25821.00 - £30377.00 per annum + + Pension
Makaton Tutor - Part Time / Term TimePermanent, Part Time£30,377 per annum, full time equivalent / equal to £15.74 per hour.Location
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Assistant Urban Design Intern

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Assistant Urban Design InternFixed Term, Full Time£25,081 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Wellbeing and Independence Practitioner - Safeguarding Team

Essex County Council
£31931.00 - £36423.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Wellbeing and Independence Practitioner - ASC Centralised Safeguarding TeamFixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Financial Strategy Manager (Revenue)

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Negotiable
Bring clarity to complex decisions and help shape how we invest in our borough's future.Bring clarity to complex decisions and help shape how we inves England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Team Manager - Locality

Wakefield Council
£55,979.00, Grade 13
Wakefield Children’s Services have been rated by Ofsted as GOOD with outstanding leadership. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recuriter: Wakefield Council
Linkedin Banner