Cardiff Council Update: 04 March 2022

Here is the latest update from Cardiff Council, covering: Cardiff case of bird flu is confirmed after goose found dead; women closing the pay gap on men at Cardiff Council; vaccination totals for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan; Cardiff's case and test numbers; andCardiff Council plans to create Wales' first Youth Zone.

Cardiff case of bird flu is confirmed after goose found dead

Wildlife experts at Cardiff Council have asked the public to avoid touching or feeding birds at Roath Park Lake after a goose was found to have died of avian flu.

The body of a greylag goose was handed in to park wardens on February 24 and tests this week confirmed the H5N1 virus. A further six bird carcasses from the park were handed in this week and staff believe the same strain of flu is to blame.

Avian influenza is not unusual and is most common during the winter when it can be passed on by migrating birds arriving in the UK. It spreads from bird to bird by direct contact or through contaminated body fluids and faeces. It can also be spread by contaminated feed and water, or by dirty vehicles, clothing and footwear.

It mainly affects birds and is very uncommon for the virus to be passed from birds to humans, or other mammals. The risk to public health is very low but as a precautionary measure the Council is asking all members of the public not to hand-feed birds at any of its parks or country parks.

Last month, a swan found dead at the Knap Lake in Barry tested positive for avian flu and more than a dozen other carcasses have been reported.

If you find a dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, you should report them to the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) on 03459 33 55 77.

Any visibly sick birds should also be reported via this number and must not be touched or handled.

Women closing the pay gap on men at Cardiff Council

Women employed by Cardiff Council are closing the gender pay gap on their male counterparts, according to the authority's latest pay policy report.

For the first time, the average hourly rate paid to women workers was higher than that paid to men (£15.83-£15.33). This was an improvement on the previous year (£13.68-£14.04), but the median rate (the middle mark of all the salary bands paid to staff) is still higher for men (£14.11-£13.21).

The report - seen as key to the Council's commitment to equal pay - suggests that the improvement reflects:

A reduction in the number of women employed at the lower grades,
An increase in allowances paid, in particular for posts that are mainly occupied by women, like social workers, and
Fewer women taking advantage of salary sacrifice schemes (e.g. purchasing additional annual leave)

Cllr Chris Weaver, the Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, welcomed the report. "We firmly believe that all our employees should be rewarded fairly and without discrimination for the work that they do," he said.