Councils across Nottinghamshire have a varied degree of gaps in the amount male employees are paid compared to their female colleagues.
Local authorities have taken steps over the past decade to close the gap but some continue to have disparities in the difference between male and female pay.
However, other authorities have begun to see their female staff paid more on average than their male counterparts.
Gender pay gaps are the amount male employees are paid in comparison to female staff and are calculated in both mean and median format.
The mean calculation takes the average hourly wage paid to employees across the entire workforce of male or female employees.
The median gap calculates the middle point of the highest and lowest available pay to show the central point for all wages and salaries across an organisation.
Organisations with 250 or more workers must publish figures on differences in pay between their employers through the Government’s gender pay gap service.
Are you planning an event for King Charles III’s Coronation? Let us know here
The Local Government Information Unit said councils are moving in the right direction on closing these gaps, but that “more work” is to be done.
Below is the gender pay gap for each local authority in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, starting with the City Council.
Nottingham City Council:
The Labour-run city council says it is “making good progress” towards closing gaps between staff of different gender.
Figures published last year show the average female employee earns 97p for every pound earned by her male counterpart – a 2.9 per cent gap.
For middle earners, the authority says the gap is 0.5 per cent – a gap of roughly 1p per every £2 earned.
Mel Barrett, the authority’s chief executive, said last year: “We are headed in the right direction towards closing pay gaps, and compare favourably with core city councils and local public sector organisations.
“We are not shying away from this issue and are taking active steps to bring about positive change.
“Despite the positive progress, we are not going to become complacent and will continue to ensure that there is equity of pay throughout the organisation.”
Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire County Council’s figures are broader, with an average gap of 7.9 per cent between male and female employees.
This means, on average, for every £1 earned by a male employee at the council, a female employee earns about 92p.
However, the median gap is even higher at 14.4 per cent.
The council says its gap is due to the number of services it provides and the gender split of its workforce, at 78.5 per cent female.
Progress on both the mean and median pay gap has also been seen at the Conservative-led authority since 2017.
The average pay gap has fallen from 12.3 per cent in 2017 to 7.9 per cent now, while the median gap dropped from 25.4 per cent to 14.4 in the same period.
Work to cut the gap further includes an ‘equality-proofed pay system’, and the removal of ‘gender bias’ from any parts of recruitment.
The authority says new learning and development plans allow “staff to develop and build new skills, knowledge and confidence to move into management and leadership roles”.
And a leadership development programme is also supporting predominantly women to progress through its pay scales.
Cllr Gordon Wheeler (Con), cabinet member for personnel, said last year: “The council is committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in the delivery of its services and in the employment of its workforce.
“We have a commitment to closing the gender pay gap and are proud of the work done since 2017 which continues to see a decline year on year in the gap.
“Activity to reduce the pay gap has included work on recruitment, career development and progression and flexible working.”
Ashfield District Council
Ashfield District Council’s pay gap is almost equal for average pay and is balanced in favour of women for median pay.
Figures show the mean gap between male and female employees is 0.9 per cent.
Across the broader pay, the authority says this works out at about 13p per hour less being paid to female staff compared with males.
For the median gap, figures show the gap between male and female staff is 4.04 per cent balanced in favour of women.
This is up from 2.26 per cent a year earlier, with the authority saying this is the result of a rise in the number of females taking up jobs in higher-paid roles.
To improve the figures further, the Ashfield Independent-led council says it will advertise vacancies as far as possible so they are “accessible to all possible candidates”.
It will also review recruitment “from start to finish to ensure inclusive recruitment” and will push for further hybrid and remote working.
In a report, the council said: “The council remains committed to the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for all employees.”
Bassetlaw District Council
Labour-controlled Bassetlaw District Council also boasts a median pay figure which is balanced in favour of women, at 0.2 per cent.
This means the middle rate of pay between the highest and lowest pay of all women at the council is marginally above the same figure for men.
However, on average, male employees at the authority are paid 1.3 per cent more than women.
Papers provided by the authority reveal the gender split of the authority’s workforce is 53 per cent male and 47 per cent female.
However, there are slightly more women as a percentage in the upper-middle section of the authority’s pay scales, which the council says has allowed these figures to come forwards.
To improve the data, the council says it aims to “recruit from the widest possible talent pool by advertising jobs widely”.
This will be accompanied by “gender-neutral language” in job adverts, while candidates will be selected on competencies “to guard against unconscious bias”.
In Broxtowe, male council staff earn 6.06 per cent more than their female colleagues on average.
This works out to women earning about 94p for every £1 earned by men.
The median gap is marginally higher, at 7.48 per cent, with council figures showing a higher proportion of male employees are in the highest pay bands.
However, the authority says the figures vary depending on part-time or full-time employees, with pay gaps both smaller and larger depending on working arrangements.
A council spokesperson said: “For full-time employees, the median is 0.00 per cent and for part-time employees, the median is 4.3 per cent in favour of female employees.
“The council has a smaller percentage of male employees taking advantage of part-time working arrangements available and this impacts the overall statistics.”
Gedling Borough Council
Labour-run Gedling has improved its year-on-year average gender pay gap but male staff continue, on average, to be paid more than women.
The average figure for 2022 was 3.79 per cent, meaning women earn almost 4p less than men for every £1 earned at the authority.
This has also improved compared with 2021, when the average gender pay gap was 4.67 per cent.
However, the median figure – which shows the middle sum for the highest and lowest salaries – is balanced in favour of women.
It shows the median sum of all female pay is 1.51 per cent more than for men, with a higher number of women working in better-paid jobs.
The authority says overall its position of pay equality is “reasonably healthy”.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is committed to being a fair place to work.
“Supportive schemes, such as flexible working and a Menopause in the Workplace Policy, go hand-in-hand with a transparent job evaluation scheme.
“The council’s equality and diversity training programme was also reviewed and recently relaunched to all employees.”
Mansfield District Council
Women working at Mansfield District Council get paid on average slightly more than their male employees.
However, figures provided by the authority show the median pay for all employees is balanced significantly in favour of men.
The data reveals the average pay for women is 0.68 per cent more than the male average, which is broadly reflected as pay equality.
But the median figure – calculating the middle point for the highest and lowest paid employees by gender – tilts 8.64 per cent in favour of men.
This is because around 56 per cent of male employees work in the two highest sections of pay grades, compared with about 44 per cent of women.
To bridge the gap, the authority says it will review its recruitment process “from start to finish” to ensure it is “inclusive”.
Competencies will continue to be prioritised during interviews and selection to reduce “bias”.
And it says plans have already been launched to encourage more young people to begin a career in the public sector.
In a report, the authority added: “Although the data shows a median gender pay gap, the council is confident this does not stem from paying men and women differently for the same or equivalent work.
“Instead the gap outlined is a result of the roles in which men and women work within the organisation and the salaries these roles attract.”
Newark and Sherwood District Council
Male staff working at Newark and Sherwood District Council are paid 6.86 per cent more than their female colleagues on average.
In financial terms, the Conservative-run authority says this works out at males getting £14.45 per hour compared with £13.46 for females – a gap of 99p.
However, for the median rate of pay – meaning the middle point of the highest and lowest hourly rates – the gender gap is marginally lower at 5.77 per cent.
Financially, this works out at the median male hourly rate being £12.20 compared with £11.50 – a gap of 70p.
The council says this is partly the result of more women working in lower-paid roles at the authority.
It says a gender pay gap action plan was developed to “understand the reasons for the gaps” and to find ways of improving it.
This includes advertising vacancies in different channels as well as “providing succession opportunities for progression”.
The authority said: “The council is confident its 6.86 per cent gender pay gap does not stem from paying men and women differently for the same, broadly similar or equivalent work or for work of equal value.
“It is as a result of the type of roles in which men and women occupy within the council and the salaries that these roles, having been evaluated, attract.”
Rushcliffe Borough Council
Women working at Conservative-led Rushcliffe Council are paid, on average, 52p more per hour than their male colleagues.
Council figures reveal the average hourly salary for its female workforce is £15.63 per hour, compared with £15.11 for men.
It means the gender pay gap at the south Nottinghamshire authority is 3.46 per cent in favour of women.
The median pay rate – which calculates the middle point of the highest and lowest pay for both genders – is also 75p in favour of women.
The council figures show the median pay for women is £13.38 per hour, compared with £12.62 for men – a gap of 5.94 per cent in favour of women.
A council spokesperson said: “We take pride in our excellent training and personal development opportunities within the local authority which are inclusive to all staff and help us to retain talent.
“All employees can also benefit from our flexible working, part-time and job share opportunities.
“These are in place to support colleagues with their responsibilities outside of work and to maintain a healthy work-life balance.”
READ NEXT:
Inspector warns students to secure accommodation after rise in burglaries
Neighbours shocked after man found stabbed in 'nice little town'
How empty Nottingham high street has transformed into a 'cool and fresh' destination
11-minute exercise that cuts risks of stroke, cancer and heart disease, say scientists
