This survey from the Chartered Management Institute and Remuneration Economics, shows that women managers in local government increased their earnings by 3.4 per cent, against only 3.2 per cent for their male counterparts. This compares with an average national movement in earnings of 6.7 per cent for women and 5.6 per cent for men, in the twelve months to January 2006. It is also the highest movement in earnings for five years.Female managers in the local government arena are second in this year’s earnings league table – a rise of 4 places on 2005. In real terms this means that female managers in local government earned an average of 48,027 pounds in the year to January 2006. With male managers in the sector earning an average of 47,533 pounds it means women are earning 494 pounds more – a 1 per cent difference. The gap at director level in the local government sector is 4,834 pounds, with the average female director earning 124,181 pounds. Across the UK, in organisations with a turnover of less than 25 m pounds, women directors also come out on top, earning 127,369 pounds compared to 116,511 pounds for men.

Yet despite larger pay awards and higher incidents of bonuses, women are more likely to resign. In this year’s survey, female resignation rates stand at 5.7 per cent, compared to 4.0 per cent for men. The local government sector has a resignation rate of 4.0 per cent for women and 1.6 for men. The region with the highest female resignation rate is East Anglia with 11.8 per cent.

The survey is available at:: www.managers.org.uk