Michael Gove has stated individuals “anticipate” council workers to be working a full five-day week, amid a row over the federal government telling an area authority to stop a four-day week trial.

The levelling up secretary has stated he’s a “sturdy believer” within the rule that council staff ought to be working Monday to Friday.

It comes after ministers ordered the Liberal Democrat-run South Cambridgeshire District Council to finish its experiment with a four-day week.

Talking on the Native Authorities Affiliation (LGA) convention in Bournemouth, Gove stated: “I consider very strongly, as certainly does the minister for native authorities, that when taxpayers are paying for providers, they should have individuals working a full five-day week.

“It appears to me for each penny paid in council tax, we deserve, all of us, to see these in native authorities working a full working week for many who are council taxpayers as nicely.

“I’m a powerful believer {that a} five-day working week is what so many different residents are dealing with, and they should work 5 days so as to have the ability to pay their council tax and different wants.

“A five-day working week appears to me to be what we must always anticipate of individuals in public service who’re having their wages paid by these council taxpayers.”

Gove’s remarks come after the LGA warned councils face a £3bn funding hole simply to take care of current ranges of providers, amid a spiralling inflation disaster.

Pete Marland, sources board chairman, stated: “Inflation, the nationwide dwelling wage, power prices and growing demand are all including billions onto councils simply to maintain standing nonetheless.”

A authorities spokesman stated ministers would take a look at council funding forward of subsequent yr’s price range “as we do yearly to make sure councils can proceed to ship important providers”.

They added: “Now we have additionally supplied multi-year certainty to native authorities, outlining spending over the following two years to permit councils to plan forward with confidence.”