The gender pay gap in Moray has grown – with the Covid pandemic thought to be the cause.
In 2019 the difference in wages between men and women was 21.9%.
That rose to 22.6% in 2021.
Moray has a much larger gap than the national average which has narrowed from 14.7% in 2019 to 11.5% last year.
The figures are included in a report on key performance indicators for the economic recovery plan for the area following the pandemic.
‘Gender stereotyping’
It will go before members of the Community Planning Board next week.
Moray Council equalities champion Juli Harris is also an SNP councillor for Speyside Glenlivet. She felt the report was “information light” on the reasons behind the widening gap. She added there was still a large element of “gender stereotyping” when it came to childcare.
She said: “I think there needs to be further research and digging down into the reasons for this.
“There may be some people who have to take on lower paid jobs because it fits in with family commitments.
“People are working from home with young children, but you still have to look after those children.”
22.6% gender pay gap in Moray
Ms Harris also raised the impact having two military bases in the area, as well as the offshore energy industry, could have on the figures.
She added the availability of affordable childcare was an issue that needed looking at.
As well as the gender pay gap, other key factors used to assess economic recovery include the amount of money spent by the public sector on goods and services in Moray, the number of apprenticeships created, the amount of inward investment and expansion in land and asset purchases, business start-ups and survival rates, town centre premises vacancies and unemployment.
The Community Planning Board will discuss the report next week when meetings return to their usual routine.
Conversation