A new father has launched a petition for Powys County Council to give equal parental leave to its employees after losing an employment tribunal.

When Baz Price, from Boughrood, near Builth Wells, was expecting his first child with his wife Laura, he planned to take the majority of the leave; and for his wife to return to work after a couple of weeks.

However, Mr Price said that three weeks before his daughter's due date, he was told PPC's Shared Parental Leave did not offer enhanced pay. The couple said they "wrongly assumed" the council would offer pay above the statutory minimum, as is the case with Adoption Leave and Maternity Leave policies. The family decided against taking the Shared Parental Leave, as they said they could not afford to access it.

Over a year later, on Friday September 6, Mr Price lost his Sex Discrimination Employment Tribunal Hearing against Powys County Council, in which he represented himself. On Sunday, the couple set up a petition to 'Make parental leave provisions equal for all Powys County Council employees'.

"The purpose of this petition is to invite Powys County Council to address the obvious inequality, by reviewing and updating the Shared Parental Leave policy. In the hope that parity can be found in line with adoptive parents and biological mothers within the Supporting Working Parents policy. Ensuring that all parents employed by Powys County Council are offered the same enhanced benefits regardless of their gender," Mr Price said.

"We are asking for equality. Equality for all parents to have the right to choose how their family dynamic works best in order to tailor parental leave to their own circumstances. Rather than be dictated and fall in line with bygone stereotypes. Our generation has a responsibility to ensure that we make the world a better place for the next generation after us. If we do not challenge social injustice, we fail as a society," Mr Price added.

Powys County Council has been contacted for a response, but is yet to respond.