Editing East Ayrshire (section)

===East Ayrshire Council===
{{main|Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994}}
[[File:East Ayrshire Council Flowerbed and welcome sign.jpg|thumb|right|East Ayrshire was established in 1996, with Kilmarnock becoming its [[administrative centre]]]]

East Ayrshire, and its associated political body, [[East Ayrshire Council]], was created in 1996 under the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]], which replaced Scotland's previous local government structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts with unitary council areas providing all local government services. East Ayrshire covered the combined area of the abolished [[Kilmarnock and Loudoun (district)|Kilmarnock and Loudoun]] and [[Cumnock and Doon Valley]] districts, and also took over the functions of the abolished [[Strathclyde]] Regional Council within the area.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=3 January 2023}}</ref> The area's name references its location within the [[shires of Scotland|historic county]] of [[Ayrshire]], which had been abolished for local government purposes in 1975 when Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Cumnock and Doon Valley, and Strathclyde region had been created.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=29 December 2022}}</ref>

In April 1996 the two-tier system of [[Local government areas of Scotland (1973–1996)|regions and districts]] was abolished and Ayrshire was divided between the [[Subdivisions of Scotland|unitary council areas]] of East Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Kilmarnock & Loudoun District and Cumnock & Doon Valley District), [[North Ayrshire]] (covering the area of the former Cunninghame District Council) and [[South Ayrshire]] (covering the area of the former Kyle and Carrick District). There are many early settlements within East Ayrshire. There are many early settlements within East Ayrshire. The [[Burns Monument, Kilmarnock|Burns Monument Centre]] and [[Dick Institute]] (both in Kilmarnock) are notable museums and cultural venues.

In 2017, East Ayrshire Council was named as the UK Council of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/article/east-ayrshire-sets-the-gold-standard-at-iese-awards|title=East Ayrshire named UK Council of the Year 2017 - East Ayrshire Council News|date=5 April 2017|website=www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk|access-date=7 December 2017}}</ref> In 2016, East Ayrshire Council was awarded and recognised for its recycling and resource management.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/article/national-recycling-awards-2016|title=National Recycling Awards 2016 - East Ayrshire Council News|date=13 July 2016|website=www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk|access-date=7 December 2017}}</ref>