The Government is set to crack down on four-day weeks as councils have been accused of “wasting taxpayer money”.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed has written to South Cambridgeshire District Council, which officially introduced the policy in July, saying the authority’s services have “worsened” since it was put in place.

The four-day week model sees workers at the council receive 100 per cent of their pay for around 85 per cent of their contracted hours.

In a letter seen by the The Telegraph, Mr Reed expressed “deep disappointment” with the authority’s conduct.

He said: “I am therefore seeking assurance about the arrangements your council has in place to consider the impacts of your policy, and that value for money for residents is being delivered.

“In particular, I would like to understand how the council is seeking to mitigate the impact to those services which have worsened over the course of the four-day working week trial.”

He requested council chiefs meet with his officials in the coming weeks.

A Government source told The Telegraph “wasting taxpayer money in this fashion is completely unacceptable”.

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Shabana Mahmood says ‘streets are safer’ after migrant sex offender deported 

Shabana Mahmood has said Britain’s “streets are safer” after migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was officially deported from the UK.

Kebatu has now arrived back in Ethiopia after he was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre.

The migrant, who had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, when he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman, travelled to London and was arrested on Sunday morning after a two-day manhunt.

The Home Secretary said: “Last week’s blunder should never have happened – and I share the public’s anger that it did. I would like to thank the police for rapidly bringing Mr Kebatu into custody and the public for their vigilance.

“I have pulled every lever to deport Mr Kebatu and remove him off British soil. I am pleased to confirm this vile child sex offender has been deported. Our streets are safer because of it.

“If you come to this country and commit crimes, we will remove you.”