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BBC News
18 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Edinburgh council to look into giving workers four-day week
City of Edinburgh Council is to look into the possibilty of introducing a four day week for its employees. Councillors voted for a motion put forward by Claire Miller, who said the move could provide a new way to help with staffing and morale. The Scottish Green councillor told a full council meeting it would help fill empty roles and aid with poor health. Several councils in the UK have expressed interest in testing a four-day work week, with South Cambridgeshire District Council being the first to trial it. Officers will now prepare a report for the city council's finance and resources committee with information and data on recruitment, retention, productivity and health of workers. It will also explore the evidence from reduced or four-day week pilots, trials, and permanent models in relevant Miller said: "The four day week is a policy where our services remain as they are and there are no changes as far as the residents are concerned in terms of the opening hours provided to them."Studies into a four day week show productivity remains the same or in some cases can actually improve, and a great proportion of the working week is given back to people for their own responsibilities for rest and for leisure."A four day week is that rare unicorn policy, one where we can help our budgets but we would also be providing genuine benefits for our workers and through them to our residents." Scottish Conservative councillor Christopher Cowdy warned that the report needed to be "balanced and grounded". He said the council should be cautious in their interpretation from limited trials such as a Cambridgeshire pilot, and that Edinburgh residents should also be consulted.
Edinburgh Live
12-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh council should trial four-day workweek after success elsewhere
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A four-day workweek for city staff should be considered to help fill empty roles and aid with poor health, according to a councillor. Several councils in the UK have expressed interest in testing a four-day workweek, with South Cambridgeshire District Council being the first to trial it. Now, Green councillor Claire Miller wants Edinburgh to join that list, saying it could provide a new way to help with staffing and morale. In a motion to full council next week, Miller says officers should look at whether the city should trial it – and bring data together on how staff are doing with the current five-day week. In it, she writes that the council has 'long-term challenges around budget pressures, recruitment into 'hard to fill' roles, use of agency and overtime, and indicators of poorer worker health such as illness absence rates.' Further, she says that unions in the city support four-day weeks, with them citing health and wellbeing benefits that they argue come without productivity losses. Miller wants council officers to collate information on staff retention, health and productivity, among other factors, by September. Additionally, she wants them to evaluate four-day workweek trials in other 'relevant organisations', to see if they can inform a possible trial in Edinburgh. South Cambridgeshire District Council was the first in the UK to trial a four-day working week, with some staff working 32 hours a week but getting paid for 40 from March 2023. It is now considering making the change permanent, with the 15-month trial among 450 office and waste collection staff being found successful. An academic study of the trial found that it reduced turnover by 39% and saved the council over £300,000 in agency worker fees. Additionally, it found that a range of council services either saw no change or improvements in delivery. Regular planning permission applications were cleared a week and a half earlier, and about 15% more major planning applications were cleared within recommended timescales. In only two areas – council rent collection and reletting council homes, performance decreased. Staff said that the shortened workweek had helped their morale and physical health, with staff complaints falling during the trial period. Additionally, less council staff were found to be going on benefits. However, one local councillor raised concerns about council staff working second jobs on their time off. Some 16% of staff taking part in the trial were found to be doing other paid work in their free time – but a council survey saw most of these staff members say they had started doing this before the trial began. In 2024, the UK government withdrew opposition to a four-day working week for English local authorities. Previously, it had published guidance that effectively prevented councils from trying it, saying it did not 'offer value for money for residents'. Among other councils, the Blaenau Gwent and North Yorkshire local authorities are exploring either a trial of, or a permanent shift to, a four-day week. Cllr Miller's motion will be discussed at the next full Edinburgh council meeting, set to take place on Thursday, 19 June, which can be viewed here.
Scotsman
06-06-2025
- Scotsman
Public safety during Edinburgh's festival period to be reviewed after Liverpool parade tragedy
Counter-terror and public safety plans for Edinburgh's festivals will continue to be reviewed, councillors have been assured, after a tragic event in Liverpool saw a car driven into crowds. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... More than 40 people were injured, some seriously, after after a car ploughed into the crowd at Liverpool FC's Premier League title victory parade. Temporary barriers to stop 'hostile vehicles' are to be included in plans for securing the festivals, while closing Cowgate to eastbound traffic and reopening the northern footway on North Bridge are being considered. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SNP councillor Finlay McFarlane asked officers at Thursday's meeting of the Culture and Communities Committee: 'The tragic incident in Liverpool is at the top of my mind as we approach the busy festival. 'I'm wondering if we are revisiting and making sure we have robust traffic management policies in place for our busy season which is approaching.' Edinburgh council officers laid out a range of proposed actions during the meeting, all aimed at keeping the city running smoothly during the festivals. Claire Miller, a public safety officer for the council, said: 'We actually reviewed a recent event in Edinburgh as a result of that as well. 'It's constantly ongoing in terms of reviewing and making sure we're following police guidance and making sure that the appropriate streets are closed, and that we have rated equipment where we need it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We're working with our partners to make sure appropriate equipment is placed throughout the city.' Council officers laid out a range of proposed actions during the meeting, all aimed at keeping the city running smoothly during the festivals. Officers will now explore opening the northern footway on North Bridge to help with the high levels of pedestrian traffic expected on the route during the summer festivals. In addition, they will explore closing Cowgate to eastbound car traffic during the festivals to open more space for pedestrians. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This was considered for the festivals last summer, but discounted by officers. Officers will also aim to have contingency plans for terror attacks at the summer festivals completed by the end of this month. Permanent anti-vehicle barriers exist in parts of the Old Town, but the council has also contracted a company to provide temporary ones at other sites in the city, as well as purchasing their own temporary barriers. The report to councillors that contained the action plan also had data about how the summer festivals went last year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to the report, 3.91 million people attended the festivals last year, up from 3.45 million in 2023. It also showed that the number of entertainment noise complaints had gone down, from 39 in 2023 to 28 in 2024. Foot traffic on Princes Street in August increased by 100,000 from 2023, reaching 1.67 million in 2024. Some 30,000 more people used the trams in August in 2024 than in 2023, for a total of 1.18 million riders last year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the number of bus users went down, dropping from 370,000 per week in 2023 to 329,000 in 2024. Labour councillor Margaret Graham, convener of the Culture and Communities Committee, said: 'Summer festivals have a huge impact on the city financially, the economy is driven to a significant degree by it. 'So we need to manage them, and I believe that Claire manages them [well]. I have one little gripe about the South Bridge, and I have some concerns about public safety there. 'But apart from that, I am happy to move the report.' Labour councillor Margaret Graham, convener of the Culture and Communities committee, said: 'Edinburgh's summer festivals deliver significant benefits to the city, drawing millions of visitors, boosting the local economy and enriching the cultural scene. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'However, it's essential that we balance the festivals' successful delivery with the needs of local residents and businesses, and the scorecard helps us to understand the impact these events have. 'The scorecard and associated action plan focuses on a range of themes, including sustainability and the economy. As part of this we are constantly reviewing public safety measures, working with partners like Police Scotland on contingency planning and delivering initiatives like Summertime Streets, to make sure people can enjoy the summer's events safely.'
Edinburgh Reporter
06-06-2025
- Edinburgh Reporter
Counter-terror planning underway for festivals
Counter-terror and public safety plans for Edinburgh's festivals will continue to be reviewed, councillors have been assured, after a tragic event in Liverpool saw a car driven into crowds. More than 40 people were injured, some seriously, after after a car ploughed into the crowd at Liverpool FC's Premier League title victory parade. Temporary barriers to stop 'hostile vehicles' are to be included in plans for securing the festivals, while closing Cowgate to eastbound traffic and reopening the northern footway on North Bridge are being considered. SNP councillor Finlay McFarlane asked officers at Thursday's meeting of the Culture and Communities Committee: 'The tragic incident in Liverpool is at the top of my mind as we approach the busy festival. 'I'm wondering if we are revisiting and making sure we have robust traffic management policies in place for our busy season which is approaching.' Claire Miller, a public safety officer for the council, said: 'We actually reviewed a recent event in Edinburgh as a result of that as well. 'It's constantly ongoing in terms of reviewing and making sure we're following police guidance and making sure that the appropriate streets are closed, and that we have rated equipment where we need it. 'We're working with our partners to make sure appropriate equipment is placed throughout the city.' Council officers laid out a range of proposed actions during the meeting, all aimed at keeping the city running smoothly during the festivals. Officers will now explore opening the northern footway on North Bridge to help with the high levels of pedestrian traffic expected on the route during the summer festivals. In addition, they will explore closing Cowgate to eastbound car traffic during the festivals to open more space for pedestrians. This was considered for the festivals last summer, but discounted by officers. Officers will also aim to have contingency plans for terror attacks at the summer festivals completed by the end of this month. Permanent anti-vehicle barriers exist in parts of the Old Town, but the council has also contracted a company to provide temporary ones at other sites in the city, as well as purchasing their own temporary barriers. The report to councillors that contained the action plan also had data about how the summer festivals went last year. According to the report, 3.91 million people attended the festivals last year, up from 3.45 million in 2023. It also showed that the number of entertainment noise complaints had gone down, from 39 in 2023 to 28 in 2024. Foot traffic on Princes Street in August increased by 100,000 from 2023, reaching 1.67 million in 2024. Some 30,000 more people used the trams in August in 2024 than in 2023, for a total of 1.18 million riders last year. However, the number of bus users went down, dropping from 370,000 per week in 2023 to 329,000 in 2024. Labour councillor Margaret Graham, convener of the Culture and Communities committee, said: 'Edinburgh's summer festivals deliver significant benefits to the city, drawing millions of visitors, boosting the local economy and enriching the cultural scene. 'However, it's essential that we balance the festivals' successful delivery with the needs of local residents and businesses, and the scorecard helps us to understand the impact these events have. 'The scorecard and associated action plan focuses on a range of themes, including sustainability and the economy. As part of this we are constantly reviewing public safety measures, working with partners like Police Scotland on contingency planning and delivering initiatives like Summertime Streets, to make sure people can enjoy the summer's events safely.' By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
06-06-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Safety of Edinburgh Festival crowds raised after Liverpool parade tragedy
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Counter-terror and public safety plans for Edinburgh's festivals will continue to be reviewed, councillors have been assured, after a tragic event in Liverpool saw a car driven into crowds. More than 40 people were injured, some seriously, after after a car ploughed into the crowd at Liverpool FC's Premier League title victory parade. Temporary barriers to stop 'hostile vehicles' are to be included in plans for securing the festivals, while closing Cowgate to eastbound traffic and reopening the northern footway on North Bridge are being considered. SNP councillor Finlay McFarlane asked officers at Thursday's meeting of the Culture and Communities Committee: 'The tragic incident in Liverpool is at the top of my mind as we approach the busy festival. 'I'm wondering if we are revisiting and making sure we have robust traffic management policies in place for our busy season which is approaching.' Claire Miller, a public safety officer for the council, said: 'We actually reviewed a recent event in Edinburgh as a result of that as well. 'It's constantly ongoing in terms of reviewing and making sure we're following police guidance and making sure that the appropriate streets are closed, and that we have rated equipment where we need it. 'We're working with our partners to make sure appropriate equipment is placed throughout the city.' Council officers laid out a range of proposed actions during the meeting, all aimed at keeping the city running smoothly during the festivals. Officers will now explore opening the northern footway on North Bridge to help with the high levels of pedestrian traffic expected on the route during the summer festivals. In addition, they will explore closing Cowgate to eastbound car traffic during the festivals to open more space for pedestrians. This was considered for the festivals last summer, but discounted by officers. Officers will also aim to have contingency plans for terror attacks at the summer festivals completed by the end of this month. Permanent anti-vehicle barriers exist in parts of the Old Town, but the council has also contracted a company to provide temporary ones at other sites in the city, as well as purchasing their own temporary barriers. The report to councillors that contained the action plan also had data about how the summer festivals went last year. According to the report, 3.91 million people attended the festivals last year, up from 3.45 million in 2023. It also showed that the number of entertainment noise complaints had gone down, from 39 in 2023 to 28 in 2024. Foot traffic on Princes Street in August increased by 100,000 from 2023, reaching 1.67 million in 2024. Some 30,000 more people used the trams in August in 2024 than in 2023, for a total of 1.18 million riders last year. However, the number of bus users went down, dropping from 370,000 per week in 2023 to 329,000 in 2024. Labour councillor Margaret Graham, convener of the Culture and Communities Committee, said: 'Summer festivals have a huge impact on the city financially, the economy is driven to a significant degree by it. 'So we need to manage them, and I believe that Claire manages them [well]. I have one little gripe about the South Bridge, and I have some concerns about public safety there. 'But apart from that, I am happy to move the report.'
