Government wants to micro-manage the wrong councils

 One would think that the government would praise councils which adopted money-saving measures and let them get on with it. South Cambridgeshire started a trial four-day week for its employees last January and has seen the benefits exceed expectations. The council leader states that half-a-million pounds in savings are already guaranteed, as recruitment has become easier and the necessity for expensive agency staff has gone down. However, the government has ordered the council to desist immediately. Could the fault be that South Cambridgeshire is run by Liberal Democrats? Or perhaps the government has an interest in contract agencies.

Government ministers were more laissez-faire when it came tp Conservative-run councils. It was not until Birmingham, Northamptonshire, Thurrock and Woking had to declare, or threaten to declare, the local government equivalent of bankruptcy that attention was paid. The last-named is now under Liberal Democrat control and progress is being made.