Report reveals 9.8 per cent police gender pay gap
West Mercia Police say a gender pay gap of 9.8 per cent is not down to men and women being paid differently for the same job.
The force, which has issued a statement following the annual report, said that the disparity is driven by the "imbalance" of men and women employed at different levels of the organisation – with more men in better paid positions at the force.
The gender pay gap has come down from 13 per cent in 2018.
Rachel Hartland Lane, Director of Business Services at West Mercia Police, said: “All officers and staff are paid equally for doing equal work, so there is no equal pay issue for West Mercia Police.
"The report does identify that there remains a gender pay gap. We are confident that it doesn’t stem from paying male and females differently for equivalent work but is driven by the imbalance of males and females employed at various levels across the force. We are working hard to address this and are absolutely committed to creating an inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve.
“We have ambitious plans to improve our diversity, equality and inclusion and we are working to address the gap by supporting the progression of women into more senior roles throughout the organisation using a number of initiatives. Work will continue to improve representation of all groups at all levels across both officers and staff to continue to narrow the gender pay gap and to encourage greater equality, diversity and inclusivity across West Mercia Police.
“We are pleased that West Mercia Police has reduced the mean gender pay gap for the fourth consecutive year to a new low of 9.8 per cent – a reduction of a quarter since 2018. This reflects the considerable focus we’ve placed on this challenge and we are making immense progress in attracting and recruiting female police officers, in particular.
“I would encourage all women seeking a rewarding and challenging career to look no further than West Mercia Police.”
Chief Constable Pippa Mills said: “I’m passionate about making West Mercia Police a great place to work where everyone can be themselves and feel valued. We’re making great progress and will continue to work hard to make sure our organisation reflects our communities to better support our public.
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion added: "I am committed to ensuring West Mercia Police is an equal employer. I am pleased to see the gap in payment between genders is decreasing in the force.”
