Councils’ gender pay gaps differ

Two major councils have released their gender pay gap figures, with varying results.

Among staff at South Holland District Council, the median hourly rate for women is 16.5 per cent higher than men’s. So on a
median basis, women earn £1.16 for every £1 that men earn.

Lincolnshire County Council, however, reports that among its staff, women’s median hourly rate is 13.3 per cent lower than men’s.

SHDC paid bonuses to 15.3 per cent of men but no women have received a bonus.

When it comes to bonus pay at Lincolnshire County Council, both sexes get bonuses but there is a gap: women’s median bonus pay is 19.8 per cent lower than men’s.

The LCC report said: “The proportion of male employees who received bonus pay is 0.7 per cent of all male employees and the proportion of female employees who received bonus pay is 0.5 per cent of all female employees.”

Of South Holland District Council’s bonus payment figures, the council’s report said: “These figures account for operatives (plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc) who, at the time of reporting qualified for 20 per cent guaranteed bonus as part of their national terms and conditions. Others included are those who receive a shift allowance.

“At the time of reporting SHDC did not employee any females in these work groups.”

The report said a total of £3,330.90 had been paid out in bonuses.

The reports were created following a ruling that from April 2017, under the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017, employers with 250 or more employees are required to publish statutory gender pay gap information on an annual basis.

Pay gap reports for more than 10,000 UK companies can be found at https://gender-pay-gap.service.gov.uk