Council strives for zero gender pay gap

A new report shows the gender pay gap at Renfrewshire Council has fallen to 4.59 per cent.

The report on the pay gap – a measure of difference between men and women’s average earnings – has been published every two years by the Council since 2013 when it stood at 5.7 per cent.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “Although our pay gap is small when compared with other local and national data, we are committed to reducing it.

“We know that women make up around 73 per cent of the Council’s workforce and are represented across all pay scales, including the highest paid Council employees.

“This is a great sign that we are doing well in supporting women to progress through the Council.

“The 3:1 ratio of women to men in the Council sees female employees outnumbering males across all pay grades, from the highest to lower level positions.

“This greater proportion of the female job population at the lower end of the scale has the impact of lowering the average hourly rate for females, thus creating the pay gap.

“To help address this, a range of measures will be progressed in order to reduce the pay gap.

“Ultimately the Council will continue to support the fair treatment, reward and recognition of all staff irrespective of gender, recognising that there is always room for improvement.”

Councillors noted Renfrewshire Council’s work to reduce the gender pay gap in a report presented to the Leadership Board on Wednesday 25 April.