North Ayrshire Council Plan Surges Ahead

North Ayrshire Council Making Strides Towards a Sustainable Future

North Ayrshire Council is celebrating significant progress on its Council Plan priorities, exceeding targets for bringing empty homes back into use and completing new build housing projects. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, 378 empty homes were brought back into use, surpassing the annual target of 200. Additionally, 384 new homes are nearing completion, exceeding the annual target of 295.

The Council Plan, a five-year roadmap approved last year, serves as the council’s commitment to its communities. It outlines key priorities encompassing Wellbeing, Communities and Local Democracy, Climate Change, and A Sustainable Council, guiding the delivery of services and collaboration with partners.

A recent report presented to the cabinet highlights the remarkable progress made across all priority areas, positioning North Ayrshire Council as a leader in sustainable development. The council’s performance compared to similar local authorities remains robust, with a focus on continuous improvement to enhance the quality of life for residents and create a fairer North Ayrshire for all.

Notable achievements showcased in the report include:

Establishment of a Financial Inclusion Partnership to enhance access to financial advice and support
Planting of 36,366 trees as part of the 2030 Woodland: A Tree Planting Strategy
Delivery of £560,509 in financial gains to parents through a School Welfare Rights Officer, with two additional posts approved
Provision of a £50 clothing grant to eligible three and four-year-olds in Early Years
£130,000 funding awarded to community renewable projects
Commencement of construction on solar PV farm developments at Shewalton and Nethermains
Improvement in 68% of Local Government Benchmarking Framework priority indicators
Recognition in the first Best Value Thematic Audit for demonstrating a culture of continuous improvement and community engagement

Craig Hatton, North Ayrshire Council Chief Executive, expressed pride in the progress made, stating, “The Council Plan is our commitment to our residents. It sets out what we want to achieve in partnership with our communities and how we will go about doing that. Although this is a five-year plan, it’s very pleasing to see strong progress that has been achieved in its first year.”