The Head of Business Improvement has submitted a report to (i) seek approval for the publication of the annual Workforce Equality Report 2022, the Gender Pay Gap Report, the Ethnicity Pay Gap Report and the Disability Pay Gap Report; and (ii) share current progress on the Workforce Equalities Report and Action Plan.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.       Approve the Workforce Equality Report 2022;

2.       Delegate authority to the Head of Business Improvement to make any necessary corrections and minor amendments before publication and publish the Workforce Equality Report;

3.       Approve the Gender Pay Gap, Ethnicity Pay Gap and Disability Pay Gap reports for this year; and

4.       Delegate authority to the Head of Business Improvement to publish on the Council’s website: (i) the Gender Pay Gap table at paragraph 19 of the report before the deadline of 30 March 2023; (ii) the Ethnicity Pay Gap table at paragraph 27 of the report; and (iii) the Disability Pay Gap table at paragraph 33 of the report.

The Head of Business Improvement had submitted a report to (i) seek approval for the publication of the annual Workforce Equality Report 2022, the Gender Pay Gap Report, the Ethnicity Pay Gap Report and the Disability Pay Gap Report; and (ii) share current progress on the Workforce Equalities Report and Action Plan.

Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services, highlighted that the Workforce Equalities Report was required to be published annually under the Equality Act 2010.  It included information on changes to the demographics of the workforce; actions taken in terms of recruitment and retention to improve diversity; and the pay gaps data.  Whilst only the gender pay gap report was required by law, the Council also chose to publish an ethnicity pay gap report and a disability pay gap report.  The reports were a snapshot as at 31 March 2022, and had demonstrated significant improvements around the role and seniority of women (which had also had a positive impact on the gender pay gap) and an increase in the percentage of staff from ethnic minorities beyond the set target.  The pay gap performances were better than the national average, particularly on gender.

Councillor Chapman highlighted that future areas of focus would include seeking to improve the quality of information obtained from staff and the representation of ethnic minority women in leadership roles.  Consideration would also be given as to how trans and LGBT representation in the workforce could be monitored and reported. 

Cabinet resolved to:

1.       Approve the Workforce Equality Report 2022;

2.       Delegate authority to the Head of Business Improvement to make any necessary corrections and minor amendments before publication and publish the Workforce Equality Report;

3.       Approve the Gender Pay Gap, Ethnicity Pay Gap and Disability Pay Gap reports for this year; and

4.       Delegate authority to the Head of Business Improvement to publish on the Council’s website: (i) the Gender Pay Gap table at paragraph 19 of the report before the deadline of 30 March 2023; (ii) the Ethnicity Pay Gap table at paragraph 27 of the report; and (iii) the Disability Pay Gap table at paragraph 33 of the report.