The Assistant Director of HR and Organisational Development submitted a report on the Council’s requirement in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 as an employer with 250 or more employees to publish statutory gender pay gap calculations every year on 31 March.  The calculations had to be published on the Council’s website as well as a government website.  The report set out the figures that would need to be published with an analysis of the information by 30 March 2019, which showed that the Council’s mean (2.99%) and median (4.99%) gender pay gap compared favourably with the national average of 17.9%.  The full details of the information to be published were set out in the report for consideration and a copy of the Gender Pay Gap Report 2018 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The Committee noted that the gender pay gap dealt with the differential between male and female pay and was distinct from equal pay, which was based on the principle of equal pay for work of equivalent value, regardless of gender.  The report emphasised that the Council’s small gender pay gap was the result of the long term effort that the Council had invested to ensure fair pay for all staff.  It was intended to continue to promote the benefits of flexible working practices to employees and managers and additionally to monitor the take-up of flexible working arrangements by gender and level within the organisation. 

Resolved –    That the gender pay gap calculations be noted.