Agenda and minutes

Members were advised that Councillor Grahl was attending the meeting as a substitute in place of Councillor Krupa Sheth.

No other apologies or notification of alternative membership had been received.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary or personal interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

There were no declarations of interests made during the meeting.

To hear any deputations received from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 67.

There were no deputations received.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 15 January 2025 as a correct record.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 15 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

There were no matters arising.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of annual workforce equalities data.

This report also provides an overview of the pay gap data relating to gender, ethnicity and disability before the Council’s pending publishing of this data by 30 March 2025.

Councillor Mili Patel, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Finance & Resources, introduced a report from the Corporate Director Law & Governance which presented Brent’s Workforce Equalities Report 2023/24 and Gender Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Report March 2025.

In presenting the report, the Committee was informed that the document provided a comprehensive overview of the annual workforce equalities data, as well as an analysis of the pay gap data pertaining to gender, ethnicity, and disability.  The main headlines identified in relation to the workforce equalities data analysis included:

·       The average age of the workforce had remained the same as the previous year (although represented an older profile compared to the local population);

·       The percentage of Brent employees with a disability (8%) had remained the same as the previous year, although Brent had a higher proportion of disabled employees compared to the London Borough average of 7%, and represented across various pay grades;

·       Almost three quarters (71%) of employees were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups – the highest rate across all London Boroughs and also higher than the percentage in the Brent population (64%) and up 2% points since the previous year;

·       BAME employees constituted up to two-thirds(70%) of those promoted over the year, closely reflecting their proportion in the overall workforce, and showing an increase from the previous year (69%).  Whilst remaining less well represented at the HAY grades (42%) it was pointed out this was up from 41% in the previous year;

·       In light of International Women’s Month, it was highlighted that women comprised over two-thirds of the workforce (64%) but remained less well represented at the highest pay grades, indicating a need for further efforts in this area.  It was, however, noted that women were better represented among those promoted with efforts being made to reduce the pay gap continuing with 53% of the top 5% of earners being women (up from 52% during the previous year).

Details were also provided on the proportion of females, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and disabled employees in each pay quartile during 2024, as detailed in section 5.3 of the report and as a percentage of the Council’s workforce, as detailed in section 5.15 of the report. Alongside the priority actions identified within the published Workforce Equalities report, the Pay Gap report had also identified several priority actions designed to address the pay gap issues during 2024-25, which had been set out within Appendix 2 of the report.

Having thanked Councillor Mili Patel for introducing the report, the Chair then moved on to invite questions and comments from the Committee, with the following comments and issues discussed:

• In commending the efforts and progress being made in seeking to address the pay gap in terms of BAME employees, further details were sought on the reasons why the mean and median pay gap for Asian employees had widened during the year along with the measures being implemented to address the issue. In response, Musrat Zaman (Director of Human Resources and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider any appointments needing to be made in relation to those Sub Committees appointed by the General Purposes Committee.

Members are asked to note the list of proposed appointments has been attached for approval, following their presentation to Full Council on 27 February 2025 for reference.

Councillor Muhammed Butt introduced an item setting out a proposed change in appointment to the General Purposes Sub-committees for the remainder of the 2024-2025 Municipal Year.

As a result, it was RESOLVED to agree the following change in appointments in relation to the Senior Staff Appointments Sub Committee, and Senior Staff Appeals Sub Committee General Purposes Sub-Committees for the 2024 - 2025 Municipal Year:

(1)       Councillor Benea to replace Councillor Tatler as a substitute member of the Senior Staff Appointments Sub Committee and Senior Staff Appeals Sub Committee.

The membership of both Committees would therefore be as follows:

senior staff appointments sub-committee

m butt (C)                                LABOUR

M.PATEL (VC)                            LABOUR

Kansagra                                CONSERVATIVE

Krupa sheth                           LABOUR

GRAHL                                       LABOUr

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR:  BENEA,DONNELLY-JACKSON, farah, knight, nerva, RUBIN

CONSERVATIVE: MAURICE, MISTRY

senior staff appeals sub-committee

m butt (C)                                LABOUR

M.PATEL (VC)                            LABOUR

Kansagra                                CONSERVATIVE

Krupa sheth                           LABOUR

GRAHL                                       LABOUr

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR:  BENEA, DONNELLY-JACKSON, farah, knight, nerva, RUBIN

CONSERVATIVE: MAURICE, MISTRY

No items have been identified in advance of the meeting that will require

the exclusion of the press or public.

There were no items that required the exclusion of the press or public from the meeting.

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Deputy Director Democratic Services or their representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

No items of urgent business were raised at the meeting.