Gender pay figures highlight it’s a woman’s world at Wyre Forest

The release of gender pay figures have highlighted that women employees at Wyre Forest District Council earn on average 10% more than male employees.

New Government rules introduced this year require all public sector employers to publish a snapshot of their workforce’s earnings.  The first snapshot date was as at 31 March 2017 and will be repeated annually from now on.

The purpose is to highlight any disparity in pay between the average earnings of male and female staff.

Figures from Wyre Forest District Council revealed the workforce as a whole on that date was made up of 52% women and 48% men. The make-up of the senior corporate leadership was 60% women to 40% men and an analysis of the top 20 senior service managers showed an even greater proportion of 71% women and 29% men.

Depending on how the average income is calculated (mean versus median), the figures show female employees earn between 10 and 12.5% more than the average male worker.

Cabinet Member for Resources Councillor Nathan Desmond, who is responsible for equality and diversity at Wyre Forest District Council, said: “Overall, we have a well balanced workforce here in Wyre Forest, with roughly half men and half women.

“Our figures certainly show that there is no glass ceiling, with the majority of senior positions taken by women. When average income is calculated our figures show women earning at least 10% more than men. But I’m confident this is not highlighting a bias against men. It is largely down to the fact that the majority of frontline jobs in the lower pay bands are occupied by male workers.

“We will not be complacent and we will continue with our successful policies to ensure equal opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, so we have the right people in the right place to offer the top quality services that our residents, businesses and visitors to the district deserve.”

The figures were calculated using the standard methodologies used in the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017. The gender pay gap has nothing to do with equal pay. The council has ensured for many years that jobs of equal weight and value receive the same rate of pay.