The new make-up of East Ayrshire Council has been confirmed after councillors met today to vote on roles.
The SNP have come out on top and take control of the council after taking all the top spots during voting at the full council meeting.
Among those was the role of Provost, which was won by the SNP's Jim Todd, AKA the Rock and Roll Provost, who was controversially replaced from the role just last summer when the Conservatives and Labour forced a vote for a new Provost.
Councillor Douglas Reid returns as leader of the Council, with Councillor Jim McMahon returned as Depute Leader.
The SNP group is the largest party with 14 seats. However, Labour made gains in the number of votes, as well as an additional seat, bringing them up to 10. The Conservatives were down to four, with four independents.
Suggestions had been made that the other parties were set to push for a Labour administration, but this did not come to pass.
Councillor Reid was elected unopposed.
Councillor Todd was elected ahead of the Conservative’s James Adams, while Councillor Claire Leitch beat Labour member June Kyle to the Depute Provost role.
Cabinet Members elected at the meeting are as follows:
Councillor Douglas Reid - Leader of the Council and Chair of Cabinet also with responsibility for Covid recovery, Strategic Planning, Community Wealth Building and Regeneration
Councillor Jim McMahon - Depute Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing, Welfare and Poverty, Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Addiction and Recovery
Councillor Neal Ingram - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Community Safety, Roads and Transportation and Community Cohesion
Councillor Iain Linton - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Finance and Digital
Councillor Clare Maitland - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning, Human Resources and Property
Councillor Elaine Cowan - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture
Councillor Graham Barton - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children and Young People, Net Zero, Environment, Climate Change and Equalities and Inclusion
Councillor Drew Filson - Cabinet Member with responsibility for Localities (to be further developed)
Councillor Maureen McKay - Leader of the Labour Opposition Group
Councillor Barry Douglas - Depute Leader of the Labour Opposition Group
Councillor John McFadzean - Leader of the Conservative Opposition Group
East Ayrshire is divided into nine wards and there are 32 elected members. The composition of East Ayrshire Council is - Scottish National Party (SNP) 14, Labour 10, Conservative 4, Independent 3 and Rubbish Party 1.
East Ayrshire Council 2022
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