West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s reports on gender pay gap

Pay Gap

Information about West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s gender pay gap and the measures we are taking to deliver on our commitment to gender equality. 

Like all organisations with 250 or more employees, we publish our gender pay gap information every year. This report uses data from March 2020, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant programme of change for the organisation in readiness for devolution and the election of West Yorkshire’s first Metro Mayor. 

Although we do not see any gender pay gap as acceptable, the median gender pay gap in our organisation in March 2020 was lower, at 9.44%, than the median national average of 15.5% (source: ONS). This is down from 11.65% in 2019 and 12.10% in 2018. 

While there is more to do, there is already evidence of the progress we are making. We have an overall gender balanced workforce and senior leadership team - and we now also have the only female Metro Mayor of a Mayoral Combined Authority nationally. 

Our Mayor, Tracy Brabin, has pledged to truly prioritise equality, diversity and inclusion in our region. We will continue to work to eradicate any gender pay gap in our organisation to be a standard bearer for gender equality. Celebrating diversity is central to our values, and we work hard to ensure every member of staff has opportunities to achieve their full potential. 

As part of this, and with support from our staff Gender Equality Group, we are developing a vision and action plan for equality, diversity and inclusion to fulfil our ambition to be an organisation everyone recognises as having an exemplary approach. This means being a diverse organisation which is free from all forms of discrimination, is anti-racist, and actively promotes inclusion in everything we do. 

We are proactive about supporting flexible working, and we calculate the pay of all employees using the industry-standard Hay job evaluation system to ensure that all staff are rewarded fairly and consistently, irrespective of gender. This year we are reviewing our flexible working arrangements to help balance work and home life. 

This is all part of our commitment to making sure our Combined Authority fully reflects the diversity of the region we represent, and is a workplace where everyone can thrive, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or any other factor.