A Swedish municipality may allow its workers to get on the job while on the clock, for an hour each week.

This idea comes to the world thanks to Per-Erik Muskos, a councillor in the Swedish district of Övertorneå, which is a whisker to the south of the Arctic Circle and home to under 2,000 people. As it happens, your correspondent went in search of the midnight sun as a youth and ventured even further north than Övertorneå. It was jolly nice up there at the height of summer, but the triple-glazed windows hinted at deeply challenging winters.

Which may be why Muskos took his idea to council: local outlet Norbottens Kuriren reports he's worried about declining population and low birth rate in the region and feels that allowing council staff to do some horizontal folk dancing at work could sort that out.

The council already offers staff an hour a week in which to exercise, as a wellness measure. Musko argues sex could also have positive health benefits for the council and its workers, especially busy couples who might otherwise struggle to find time to do the deed. Singles would also be allowed to indulge.

It is not clear what facilities would be provided to those who take up the program, should it pass council at a future meeting. ®