Comment

31.08.16

We need more women leaders in local government

Source: PSE Aug/Sep 16

Cllr Gillian Keegan, director of Women2Win, explains why she is co-chairing a commission into women’s representation in local government and how people can get involved.

The Fawcett Society and LGiU have launched a one-year commission supported by Barrow Cadbury Trust to examine the role of women across local government and identify barriers to women’s representation. 

We are undergoing a period of great change in the way power is held, public money is spent and public services are delivered. However, we haven’t seen any change in women’s representation in local government for many years – just over 30% of councillors are women, and this has remained roughly unchanged for a decade.  

As we enter an era of devolution it is vitally important that decision-making in local government is fully representative of local communities, particularly when difficult trade-offs are required to balance budgets. Devolution can offer real opportunity for local politicians to use their insights, knowledge and relationships to solve local problems and focus on regional growth. That’s why, along with Dame Margaret Hodge MP, I’m chairing the commission, to make sure that women are at the table where critical decisions are made, not only as councillors but also as leaders in local government. 

Recent research by the Fawcett Society has found that whilst 40% of councillors in the Northern Powerhouse region are women, only 21% of leaders and directly elected mayors in the region are. Surprisingly, of the 134 senior leadership roles in the Northern Powerhouse, 96 (or 72%) of these are occupied by men. The deals underpinning devolution come with a commitment to regional elected mayors – but so far only four of the 16 existing directly elected mayors in England and Wales are women. 

Understanding why women are underrepresented 

We need to understand why women are underrepresented at all levels of local government in order to take steps to correct the balance. The position is similar among officers employed by local authorities – three-quarters of local government jobs are held by women, but only 24% of local authority chief executives are women. 

We are really interested to understand the barriers to increasing women’s representation. Are women less likely to come forward as candidates? Are enough women aware of the role and how they can get involved? Once they do decide to stand are they less likely to be selected by their local parties? What are the experiences of new women councillors? Who is more likely to stand again? What kind of responsibilities do women councillors take on? What puts them off or makes them give up? What are the barriers that stop women councillors rising to the top? What will it take to achieve 50:50 representation of women in local government leadership? 

The commission aims to take a granular and nuanced look at these questions and will seek to understand the representation of BAME women, women with disabilities and women with caring responsibilities rather than just women as an overall group. 

During the year we will have the opportunity to identify best practice in ensuring diversity and inclusivity at all levels. We will also identify and profile strong role models to build awareness of those women who are successful local government leaders today. 

The Local Government Commission will start by gathering the existing evidence and data, which will give a clear picture of how women are represented in positions at all levels in local government today. Following on from this we will hold evidence sessions across the country, conduct two online surveys, gather written evidence submissions and conduct qualitative interviews with women council leaders. 

We will then make recommendations on how we can advance women’s representation, engagement and leadership in local government. We would like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved and help make this a successful campaign for women in local government. If you are reading this article and wondering how to get involved, please go to: http://bit.ly/FawcettLocalGovt. 

The commission will focus on local government in England and Wales. The terms of reference were drawn up by representatives from local government, equality campaigners, trade unions and politicians. The commission will produce a report outlining its findings by May 2017.

Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]

 

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

public sector executive tv

more videos >

latest public sector news

Leeds’ Clean Air Zone Plans Suspended for the foreseeable future

19/08/2020Leeds’ Clean Air Zone Plans Suspended for the foreseeable future

Leeds City Council have today (August 19) announced that their plans for a Clean Air Zone within the city may not have to go ahead due to lower e... more >
Colleges set to receive £200m in Funding

19/08/2020Colleges set to receive £200m in Funding

Over 180 colleges are set to receive a share of £200m, in order to repair and refurbish buildings and campuses. The funding makes up p... more >
UK climate change projects to receive £14m funding

18/08/2020UK climate change projects to receive £14m funding

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced the first 14 grants from the Climate Action Fund going to communities across the UK to tackle c... more >

the raven's daily blog

Cleaner, greener, safer media: Increased ROI, decreased carbon

23/06/2020Cleaner, greener, safer media: Increased ROI, decreased carbon

Evolution is crucial in any business and Public Sector Executive is no different. Long before Covid-19 even became a thought in the back of our minds, the team at PSE were looking at innovative ways to deliver its content to our audience in a more dynamic and responsive manner. We’re conscious to take the time to both prot... more >
read more blog posts from 'the raven' >

interviews

Artificial intelligence: the devil is in the data

17/12/2018Artificial intelligence: the devil is in the data

It’s no secret that the public sector and its service providers need to invest in technology to help make better use of their resources. Bu... more >
Digital innovation in the public sector: The future is now

17/12/2018Digital innovation in the public sector: The future is now

One of the public sector’s key technology partners has recently welcomed a new member to its team. Matt Spencer, O2’s head of public ... more >
New Dorset Councils CEO on the creation of a new unitary: ‘This is going to be the right decision for Dorset’

05/11/2018New Dorset Councils CEO on the creation of a new unitary: ‘This is going to be the right decision for Dorset’

The new chief executive of one of the new unitary authorities in Dorset has outlined his approach to culture and work with employees, arguing tha... more >
Keeping the momentum of the Northern Powerhouse

15/10/2018Keeping the momentum of the Northern Powerhouse

On 6 September, the biggest decision-makers of the north joined forces to celebrate and debate how to drive innovation and improvement through th... more >

last word

Prevention: Investing for the future

Prevention: Investing for the future

Rob Whiteman, CEO at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance (CIPFA), discusses the benefits of long-term preventative investment. Rising demand, reducing resource – this has been th... more > more last word articles >

editor's comment

25/10/2017Take a moment to celebrate

Devolution, restructuring and widespread service reform: from a journalist’s perspective, it’s never been a more exciting time to report on the public sector. That’s why I could not be more thrilled to be taking over the reins at PSE at this key juncture. There could not be a feature that more perfectly encapsulates this... read more >

public sector focus

LGA: ‘Air pollution is a major public health issue’

17/08/2020LGA: ‘Air pollution is a major public health issue’

The Local Government Association (LGA) has ca... more >
Automating back-office processes for local authorities

29/07/2020Automating back-office processes for local authorities

Words provided by Cantium Business Solutions,... more >