Hundreds of council employees are embracing the flexibility of remote work, even taking advantage of the opportunity to work from overseas. Over the past three years, more than 1,350 requests to work from abroad have been approved, with the numbers skyrocketing during the pandemic and the subsequent rise of remote work. This revelation has sparked frustration among council taxpayers who are not afforded the luxury of remote work.
According to Freedom of Information requests by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, council staff have been logging in from various far-flung destinations, including Spain, Australia, Dubai, Brazil, India, Italy, France, Thailand, the Philippines, Jamaica, Croatia, South Africa, Turkey, Egypt, Gran Canaria, and Indonesia.
Initially, there were instances where staff were forced to work abroad due to Covid-related travel restrictions. However, as these curbs were lifted, the number of requests granted for overseas work increased tenfold to 708 in 2022-23.
Interestingly, a study by accountancy firm RSM UK discovered that 33% of businesses now permit employees to work remotely outside the UK. This emerging trend has been popularly referred to as “working from the beach.”
While the private sector is gradually shifting back to office work, encouraging staff to return to physical workspaces, councils argue that flexible working is vital for attracting and retaining quality talent. However, MPs have criticized the number of approvals granted, labeling them as “absurd,” and are calling for a government investigation.
Conservative MP Peter Bone believes that local councils should prioritize hiring individuals from the local community who can be physically present in town halls to ensure effective delivery of public services. Fellow Tory Sir John Redwood shares this sentiment, stating that local recruitment would be more conducive to improved service provision.
Moreover, former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg highlights the issue of productivity, asserting that remote work, and particularly work from abroad, may exacerbate the existing productivity problems, especially within the public sector.
Unsurprisingly, the TaxPayers’ Alliance CEO, John O’Connell, criticizes council staff for working remotely from abroad, arguing that taxpayers expect officials to utilize the office space funded by their contributions. O’Connell urges council employees to return to their local town halls and fulfill their duties.
Barnet Council in north London holds the record for granting the highest number of requests (286) to work from abroad, followed by Merton Council in south London (251) and Islington Council in north London (237). Specific examples include an employee of Croydon Council who worked remotely from abroad for 842 days and a staff member from Wigan Council who has been working from France for two years.
It is worth noting that several staff members earning six-figure salaries were among those granted permission to work from overseas. Furthermore, over 70 UK councils have approved similar requests.
In response to Freedom of Information requests, Barnet Council clarified that they only allowed limited periods of remote work from abroad and strictly evaluated whether it would affect an employee’s job performance and productivity. Islington Council explained that their tally included cases where staff requested permission to take their work devices abroad on holiday in case of emergencies.
The Local Government Association, which represents town halls, emphasized that councils have significant experience in managing remote staff and that decisions regarding remote work locations are made on an individual council level, considering the role and business needs.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities stressed the importance of maintaining efficient and accessible services for the public, regardless of staff location, while keeping costs in mind.
In conclusion, the surge in requests for remote work from abroad by council employees showcases the growing acceptance and adoption of flexible work arrangements. However, it remains a contentious issue, with concerns about productivity, access to local services, and fairness to taxpayers. This situation calls for a comprehensive examination of the practices and policies surrounding remote work in the public sector.
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