Local government not working for women

Local government is “not fit for the future” as a result of a range of outdated practices and attitudes that hold back gender equality, states a final report on local government by women’s campaigning group the Fawcett Society.


Does Local Government Work for Women? finds that just 4% of local councils in England have a formal maternity, paternity or parental leave policy in place for councillors. 


Some have informal arrangements, but three-quarters who responded to a Freedom of Information request said that they had nothing on offer for pregnant women councillors.


The study, the result of a year-long Local Government Commission by the Fawcett Society in partnership with the Local Government Information Unit, also reveals that women are outnumbered six to one in finance or economic development roles, which usually lead to the top. It believes this helps explain why just 17% of council leaders are women — a figure that has hardly shifted in 10 years.


It also finds that 80% of council seats go to incumbents at each election, making it very difficult for women and minority groups to break through. And while women make up 78% of council employees, just 33% of council chief executives are women. 


The Local Government Commission is calling for all parties to set targets for getting more women councillors in, and make it a legal requirement to get 45% women candidates if they don’t make progress.

https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Local-Government-Final-Report.pdf