POLITICIANS in York have added their voices to calls for better gender representation in local government, after newly-published research about the imbalance.

The IPPR North report, published on Monday, highlighted gender imbalance in local authorities like City of York, and combined authorities.

Sixteen of City of York’s 47 councillors are women, and the eight-strong Executive includes just one female member. Cllr Carol Runciman, Executive member for health and social care, said the city was above average, but there was still some way to go.

She said: “The underrepresentation of women in elected positions affects all parties in York - it is not a new problem.”

Cllr Runciman pointed out that women had filled a lot of the “big jobs” in York in recent years, including the Lord Mayoralty, and chairmanship of some of the council’s key committees but she knew "from experience that York has no shortage of community-minded women who would make first-rate councillors".

She said: “My advice would be don’t wait for someone to ask you to get involved! If you want to stand for election I am sure that any of the city’s main political parties would be delighted to hear from you.”

Labour councillor Mary Cannon, whose party’s occasional use of all-women shortlists helped ensure eight out of 15 Labour councillors in York are women, said: “The IPPR report makes a number of telling points, and in particular highlights the need to take special measures to increase women’s involvement in politics, their membership of political parties, and the selection and election of women to national and local government, and into leadership roles."

Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority - of which York is a member - also supported calls to combat the “depressingly small number” of senior female leaders in local government.