The gender pay gap within Pembrokeshire County Council is closing and the number of employees continues to contract, according to a report to the Authority’s monthly Cabinet meeting next Monday (December 2).

The report by the Head of Human Resources, Ceri Davies, also says that while the gap in pay differentials between men and women is narrowing, the pace of change is slow – a pattern typical across the public sector.

Cabinet Members will be told that the number of individuals employed by the Council has fallen by around one per cent in the last year while there has been a decrease of 0.3 per cent in the number of jobs.

The report reveals that the proportion of the workforce who are women is 71 per cent.

The report goes on: ‘Pay differentials between men and women continue to close and the continuing impact of the national minimum wage can be seen in an increase in hourly pay rates for those on the lowest grades.’

The age profile of the workforce remains older than for Pembrokeshire’s overall labour force while analysis of the outcome of vacancies for 2018-19 suggests that women are more likely to be employed.

However, the report says, the proportion of candidates offered a job or appointed from an ethnic minority has been persistently lower than those from a White – UK background for the past five years.

Cabinet Members are asked to note the report.