The gender pay gap between men and women at Cardiff Council has fallen to 3.8%, significantly lower than the 19% average in the public sector and the 23.8% average in the private sector.

The figures were revealed in a Pay Policy report which shows the median gender pay gap between men and women working in the council (including in schools) fell from 4.62% to 3.81% between 2017 and 2018.

The report also shows that the council manages a budget of £609m, employs just over 13,000 people and that the authority, which pays the voluntary living wage, will guarantee that no member of staff will earn below £9 an hour from April 1st this year.

Cabinet member for Finance Modernisation and Performance, Cllr Chris Weaver, Said: “It’s really pleasing to see that the gender pay gap in Cardiff is significantly lower than across the public sector and the private sector. It’s also good news that from April 1 no council employee will receive less than £9 an hour.

“This Council was the first in Wales to adopt the voluntary Living Wage for its employees back in 2012 and we've made excellent progress since first gaining Living Wage accreditation. By paying the Living Wage - the rate employees and their families actually need to live on - we know we've made a huge difference to many people in the city. Since we became an accredited Living Wage employer more than 2,200 full and part-time Council staff have benefitted from a pay rise, mainly women working as breakfast club supervisors, cleaners, domestics, kitchen assistants and midday supervisor. This will have played its part in helping the council produce gender pay gap figures significantly better than the UK average, but there is more we need to do like finding ways we can help our part-time workers progress their careers, supporting both men and women to take on caring responsibilities if they choose to, and ensuring equal opportunities for women and men to be employed at all levels of the authority.

“Of course, what’s also vitally important is that men and women receive equal pay for work of equal value, and that’s exactly what happens in Cardiff Council. The gender pay gap in the Council does not mean women are being paid less than men for doing the same job. Here the gender pay gap generally highlights if women are doing more of the less well paid jobs within the organisation than men. We are committed to equal pay for work of equal value and Cardiff Council has a clear and transparent job evaluation process which ensures this happens.”

The report will go before the council’s Cabinet at its next meeting on Thursday, March 21, for approval.

Further information

The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of all men and women across a workforce. If women do more of the less well paid jobs within an organisation than men, the gender pay gap is usually bigger.

The gender pay gap is not the same as unequal pay which is paying men and women differently for performing the same (or similar) work. Unequal pay has been unlawful since 1970.

The minimum wage is a statutory requirement and is set at £7.38 an hour for those aged 21 and over

The national Living Wage is a statutory wage for those aged 25 and over and is set at £7.83 an hour

The Real Living Wage is a voluntary payment set at £9 an hour across the UK (from April 1) and £10.55 in London. It is regarded to be the only wage rate based on what people need to live.