Editing North Ayrshire (section)

==Governance==
{{Infobox legislature
| name               = North Ayrshire
| native_name        =
| transcription_name =
| legislature        =
| coa_pic            =
| coa_res            = 
| logo_pic           = North_Ayrshire_Council.svg
| logo_caption       = Council logo 
| house_type         =
| body               =
| houses             =
| leader1_type       = [[Provost (civil)|Provost]]
| leader1            = Anthea Dickson
| party1             = <br>[[Scottish National Party|SNP]]
| election1          = 18 May 2022
| leader2_type       = [[Local government in Scotland#Leader of the Council|Leader]]
| leader2            = Marie Burns
| party2             = <br>[[Scottish National Party|SNP]]
| election2          = 18 May 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 18 May 2022 |url=https://north-ayrshire.cmis.uk.com/north-ayrshire/Document.ashx?czJKcaeAi5tUFL1DTL2UE4zNRBcoShgo=Dk9K4PaYTeabqhproOjhyx0dFa3aY9qeqj%2b0mPGDUWjbYya%2fdSWiww%3d%3d&rUzwRPf%2bZ3zd4E7Ikn8Lyw%3d%3d=pwRE6AGJFLDNlh225F5QMaQWCtPHwdhUfCZ%2fLUQzgA2uL5jNRG4jdQ%3d%3d&mCTIbCubSFfXsDGW9IXnlg%3d%3d=hFflUdN3100%3d&kCx1AnS9%2fpWZQ40DXFvdEw%3d%3d=hFflUdN3100%3d&uJovDxwdjMPoYv%2bAJvYtyA%3d%3d=ctNJFf55vVA%3d&FgPlIEJYlotS%2bYGoBi5olA%3d%3d=NHdURQburHA%3d&d9Qjj0ag1Pd993jsyOJqFvmyB7X0CSQK=ctNJFf55vVA%3d&WGewmoAfeNR9xqBux0r1Q8Za60lavYmz=ctNJFf55vVA%3d&WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA%3d |website=North Ayrshire Council |access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref>
| leader3_type       = [[Chief Executive]]
| leader3            = Craig Hatton
| party3             = <!-- Non-political role -->
| election3          = October 2018<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dunn |first1=Ross |title=Craig Hatton appointed new North Ayrshire Council chief executive |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/craig-hatton-appointed-new-north-13345712 |access-date=17 July 2023 |work=Daily Record |date=2 October 2018}}</ref>
| members            = 33 councillors
| house1             =
| house2             =
| structure1         = United Kingdom North Ayrshire council 2025.svg

| structure1_res     = 250px
| political_groups1 = 
; Administration (12)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] (12)
; Other parties (21)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] (11)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}| border=darkgray}} [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] (6)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Reform UK}}| border=darkgray}} [[Reform UK]] (2)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (2)
| structure2         =
| structure2_res     =
| political_groups2  =
| committees1        =
| committees2        =
| joint_committees   =
| voting_system1     = [[Single transferable vote]]
| voting_system2     =
| last_election1     = [[2022 North Ayrshire Council election|6 May 2022]]
| next_election1     = 6 May 2027
| session_room       = Cunningham House, Irvine.jpg
| session_res        =
| meeting_place      = Cunninghame House, Friars Croft, [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]], KA12{{nbsp}}8EE
| website            = {{URL|www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk}}
| footnotes          =
}}
[[File:North Ayrshire UK ward map 2017 (blank).svg|thumb|Map of the council area's electoral wards, as of 2017]] 
The council has been under [[no overall control]] since 2007, with various minority administrations led by both [[Scottish Labour|Labour]] and the [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP) operating since then. Following the 2022 election the council is under [[no overall control]], being led by an SNP minority administration.<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Council |url=https://north-ayrshire.cmis.uk.com/north-ayrshire/Councillors/Council.aspx |website=North Ayrshire Council |access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref> The next election is due in 2027.

===Political control===
The first election to North Ayrshire Council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre |access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || 1996–2007
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 2007–
|}

===Leadership===
The [[leader of the council|leaders of the council]] since 1996 have been:<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://north-ayrshire.cmis.uk.com/north-ayrshire/CommitteesMeetings/AgendasandMinutes.aspx |website=North Ayrshire Council |access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To 
|-
| Jimmy Clements<ref>{{cite news |title=Tributes after first North Ayrshire Council leader dies aged 88 |url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/18136656.tributes-first-north-ayrshire-council-leader-dies-aged-88/ |access-date=4 January 2023 |work=Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald |date=3 January 2020}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|1 Apr 1996 || align=right|May 1999
|-
| David O'Neill || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|20 May 1999 || align=right|May 2012
|-
| Willie Gibson || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=right|May 2012 || align="right" |Aug 2016
|-
| Joe Cullinane || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|30 Aug 2016 || align=right|May 2022
|-
| Marie Burns || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=right|18 May 2022 || align=right|
|}

===Composition===
Following the [[2022 North Ayrshire Council election|2022 election]], subsequent by-elections in May 2024 & September 2024, and the defection of two [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] members of the Council to [[Reform UK]], the composition of the council was:

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2| Party
! Councillors
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=center|12
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=center|11
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || align=center|6
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Reform UK}} || align=center|2
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || align=center|2
|-
! colspan=2|Total
! align=center|33
|}

The next election is due in 2027.<ref>{{cite web |title=North Ayrshire |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=north_ayrshire |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref>

===Elections===
Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the [[single transferable vote]] system, introduced by the [[Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004]]. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:<ref name=compositions/><ref>{{cite web |title=Election results |url=https://north-ayrshire.cmis.uk.com/north-ayrshire/VotingElections/ElectionResults.aspx |website=North Ayrshire Council |access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!rowspan=2|'''Year'''
!rowspan=2|'''Seats'''
!width="80"|[[Scottish National Party|'''SNP''']]
!width="80"|'''[[Scottish Conservatives|Conservative]]'''
!width="80"|[[Scottish Labour|'''Labour''']]
!width="80"|[[Scottish Liberal Democrats|'''Liberal Democrats''']]
!width="80"|[[Independent politician|'''Independent / Other''']]
!rowspan=2|'''Notes'''
|-
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
|-
| [[1995 North Ayrshire Council election|1995]] || 30 || 1 || 1 || 28 || 0 || 0 || align=left|Labour majority
|-
| [[1999 North Ayrshire Council election|1999]] || 30 || 2 || 2 || 25 || 0 || 1 || align=left|New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The North Ayrshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998|year=1998|number=3179|accessdate=5 January 2023}}.</ref> Labour majority
|-
| [[2003 North Ayrshire Council election|2003]] || 30 || 3 || 4 || 22 || 0 || 1 || align=left|Labour majority
|-
| [[2007 North Ayrshire Council election|2007]] || 30 || 8 || 3 || 12 || 2 || 5 || align=left|New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The North Ayrshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006|year=2006|number=427|accessdate=5 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[2012 North Ayrshire Council election|2012]] || 30 || 12 || 1 || 11 || 0 || 6 || align=left|
|-
| [[2017 North Ayrshire Council election|2017]] || 33 || 11 || 7 || 11 || 0 || 4 || align=left|New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The North Ayrshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2016|year=2016|number=282|accessdate=5 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[2022 North Ayrshire Council election|2022]] || 33 || 12 || 10 || 9 || 0 || 2 || align=left|New ward boundaries.<ref name=2021order>{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The North Ayrshire (Electoral Arrangements) Regulations 2021|year=2021|number=370|accessdate=5 January 2023}}</ref> SNP minority administration
|-
!
!
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
!
|}
{{notelist}}

===Premises===
The council is based at Cunnninghame House on Friars Croft in Irvine, which was built in 1975 as the headquarters for the Cunninghame District Council, forming part of the new town centre for Irvine following its designation as a [[New towns in the United Kingdom#Scotland|New Town]].<ref>{{cite news |title=£77,000 to fit out this house |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=5 January 2023 |work=Irvine Herald |date=26 September 1975 |page=2 |quote=Work on the five-storey office block to be known as Cunninghame House is expected to be completed by the end of October...}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19973|page=1466|date=2 November 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Irvine, Friar's Croft, Cunninghame House |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/294274/irvine-friars-croft-cunninghame-house |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref>

===Wards===
As of 2022, the council area is divided into nine multi-member [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|wards]] returning 33 members, composed as follows:<ref name=2021order/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Ward<br>Number
! Ward Name
! Seats
|-
|1
|[[North Coast (North Ayrshire ward)|North Coast]]
|5
|-
|2
|[[Garnock Valley (ward)|Garnock Valley]]
|5
|-
|3
|[[Ardrossan (ward)|Ardrossan]]
|3
|-
|4
|[[Arran (ward)|Arran]]
|1
|-
|5
|[[Saltcoats and Stevenston (ward)|Saltcoats and Stevenston]]
|5
|-
|6
|[[Kilwinning (ward)|Kilwinning]]
|4
|-
|7
|[[Irvine West (ward)|Irvine West]]
|4
|-
|8
|[[Irvine East (ward)|Irvine East]]
|3
|-
|9
|[[Irvine South (ward)|Irvine South]]
|3
|-
|}

===Legal issues===
In 2007 a proposed lighting maintenance contract to be awarded to Centre Great Ltd. was challenged by Lightways, an unsuccessful [[tenderer]] who provided lighting maintenance services in a number of other Scottish council areas. The Council admitted that there had been failings in the way it had undertaken the tender process.<ref>[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/council-wont-probe-lighting-contract-2439312 Council won't probe lighting contract], ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]'', updated on 15 October 2013, accessed on 21 April 2025</ref>

===Wider politics===
At the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]], North Ayrshire is covered by the [[Central Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Central Ayrshire]] and [[North Ayrshire and Arran (UK Parliament constituency)|North Ayrshire and Arran]] Parliamentary constituencies, both of which are represented by MPs belonging to the [[Scottish Labour Party]]. In the [[Scottish Parliament]], the council area is divided into [[Cunninghame North (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Cunninghame North]] and [[Cunninghame South (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Cunninghame South]], both represented by MSPs from the Scottish National Party. The council has been a member of the [[Islands Forum (United Kingdom)|Islands Forum]] since 2022.