Title

HUMAN RESOURCES

Redbridge bucks the trend on women's pay

Redbridge LBC pays its female staff more than their male counterparts, an audit of staff salary has shown.

Redbridge LBC pays its female staff more than their male counterparts, an audit of staff salary has shown.

According to the council, the figures reveal an average pay gap of 3% mean, and a median gap of 10%, both in favour of women.

The council also bucks the trend with women in top jobs, with 10 out of 18 of the senior leadership posts held by women. The pay ratio for the council – the multiplier between the highest and lowest paid staff is also low, with the chief executive's salary of £171,813 only nine times as much as the lowest salary, and six times the average.

Announcing the results of the audit on International Women's Day, leader of the council Jas Athwal said: ‘We are committed to fairness in Redbridge, and I'm proud of the progress we are making towards gender equality in the council. 
‘We have held down senior pay and now with the introduction of the living wage we will make even more progress in improving life for our staff. 
‘Like all councils, we know there is much more to do to ensure we are a fair and fully representative organisation, but this news is a big step in the right direction.'

HUMAN RESOURCES

Beyond winning and losing: leadership lessons for LGR

By Max Wide | 01 October 2025

Max Wide explores the leadership choices posed by reorganisation and reflects on how collaboration, cultural integration and private sector insights can help...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Councils can't wait for reform

By Joanne Pitt | 22 September 2025

Drawing on assurance work by CIPFA, Joanne Pitt sets out the challenges driving the growing reliance on Exceptional Financial Support and outlines the urgent...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Safety shouldn't be too much for women to ask for

By Heather Jameson | 18 September 2025

Councils cannot ignore what persists within their own workplace cultures, writes Heather Jameson.

HUMAN RESOURCES

EXCLUSIVE SURVEY: 'Women are being failed'

By Dan Peters | 18 September 2025

One in 10 local authority female staff have experienced inappropriate touching by a manager, a landmark sexual harassment survey by trade union Unite has found.

Heather Jameson

Popular articles by Heather Jameson