Female workers at Devon and Somerset fire authority earn 13 per cent less than male colleagues

Women working for Devon and Somerset's fire authority earn on average 13 per cent less than their male counterparts.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has published data on the gender pay gap within its organisation, showing women are not strongly represented at higher pay grades.

The figures show that the number of women at the lowest pay grades within the authority has increased over the last 12 months.

The fire authority has said the findings do not reflected the most up-to-date data on the subject, with a further report being expected later in the year.

The gender pay gap shows the difference between the average hourly earnings of men and women in a given organisation.

This is typically expressed through two averages - the mean (the total earnings divided by the total number of employees) and the median (the middle earner among both men and women).

A report on the most recent figures available came before the authority's human resources management and development committee in Clyst St George on March 18.

Chief fire officer Glenn Askew said in his written report: "Mean pay for the service shows a gap in favour of male staff of 13 per cent, against a gap across the UK of male workers earning 17.9 per cent more than female workers in 2018.

"The median pay gap indicates there is a pay disparity in typical rates of pay between male workers and female workers of 13.6 per cent."

The mean hourly pay of male staff at the fire authority was £15.83 per hour, against £13.77 per hour for women.

The median hourly pay was £15.30 for men and £13.22 for women.

The percentage of women in the lowest quartile for pay (the 25 per cent lowest earning employees) has risen from 24.2 per cent in 2017 to 29 per cent a year later, causing the pay gap to widen.

Fire authority chair Sara Randall Johnson added: "The gender pay gap exists because female workers tend to have lower-paid occupations and sectors, and occupy less senior roles. This is reflected in the service's data."

The data used to compile the report dates from March 31, 2018 - with a lack of officer time and migrating to a new HR system being blamed for the report not coming before the committee sooner.

Assistant chief fire officer Pete Bond said the service now had two female area managers and one female group manager in the wholetime service, and two female watch manager in the on-call service - compared to zero in all three fields in the previous 12 months.

He said in his written report: "We are taking short-, medium- and long-term approaches to achieving a more diverse workforce, to improve the way it delivers services to the community of Devon and Somerset.

"While the service has improved in this area, particularly in relation to women in senior managerial roles... this is not yet reflected in the gender pay gap figures."

The latest gender pay gap data for the authority will be available from April 1, with a new report expected to come back to the committee later in the year.