More women are getting top jobs with the biggest employer in town.

But they still have some way to go before they catch up with the men at Brighton and Hove Council. A census conducted last month showed the council's workforce is 64 per cent female and 36 per cent male, which is close to the national average.

Resources director Steve Rayson said: "There is some indication that the concentration of part-time posts at lower grades may be a barrier to women." At the top, most of the chief officers, including chief executive Glynn Jones, are men, although the new culture director is Sarah Tanburn.

The report states most top jobs are full-time and most full-time employees are men. The council is carrying out further research on this and will look into flexible working among managers.

There has been a rise in the number of disabled employees and the survey found there has been a small rise in the proportion of employees from ethnic minorities. It also asked people about their sexual orientation, giving the choices of gay men (four per cent), lesbians (three per cent), heterosexual (77 per cent) and other (five per cent).

Mr Rayson said: "There is no pattern of significance suggesting a difference in the opportunity for gay men and lesbians in the workforce. This does not, however, suggest that homophobia does not exist in the authority."

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