The first British council to introduce a four-day week is failing to prove its scheme is working, the Government has said. Liberal Democrat-run South Cambridgeshire District Council launched a trial of the scheme last year, giving staff a shorter week on full pay. But critics have described the trial as a “car crash” with call wait times rising and staff reporting higher stress levels since it was introduced last June. The council has faced repeated calls to scrap the “ridiculous” policy amid fears taxpayers are not getting value for money, but leaders have ploughed on regardless. This is despite its own analysis finding that some services got worse in the trial’s first three months, with average call centre times rising by 14.5pc and just four of 12 key performance indicators on target. The Government has kept a watchful eye on the authority’s four-day policy since its introduction in 2023, with minister Lee Rowley ordering an immediate stop in June. But the council has continued to press ahead, stressing that workers are more motivated and productivity is higher. However, the Government is concerned about the council’s compliance, and has reissued a “Best Value Notice”, demanding to receive weekly reports for a further six months to “allow...