Resignation and Election of Leader and Depute
North Ayrshire Council · 11 February 2026
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 11 February 2026 North Ayrshire Council Title: Election of Leader and Depute Leader Purpose: To intimate the resignations of the Leader and Depute Leader and invite Council to nominate and elect replacement Members as Leader and Depute Leader of the Council. Recommendation: That Council: a) notes the resignations of Councillors Burns and Macaulay from their respective positions as Leader and Depute Leader of the Council and associated Committees and Outside Bodies; b) seeks nominations and elects a new Leader of the Council and appoints them to relevant Committees and Outside Bodies detailed at paragraph 2.3 of the report; c) seeks nominations and elects a new Depute Leader of the Council and appoints them to relevant Committees and Outside Bodies detailed in paragraph 2.5 of the report; and d) notes that appropriate changes will be made to Elected Member remuneration in accordance with the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 Amendment Regulations 2025. 1. Executive Summary 1.1. This report requests Council to elect a new Leader and Depute Leader of the Council following the resignations of Councillors Burns and Macaulay. 1.2. Consequential vacancies have also arisen on Cabinet and Outside Bodies. Council should note that on the election of a new Leader and Depute Leader, they will be appointed to Cabinet in accordance with the Scheme of Administration. Council will also be asked to appoint the new Leader and Depute to relevant Outside Bodies detailed in this report. 1.3. The new Leader and Depute will be remunerated in accordance with the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 Amendment Regulations 2025. The salaries of the outgoing Leader and Depute Leader will also be adjusted to appropriate levels in accordance with those regulations. 2. Background 2.1. The Leader and Depute Leader of the Council intimated their resignations from their roles as Leader and Depute to the Chief Executive with effect from 12
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noon on 11th February 2026. They also intimated that they would in consequence resign from Cabinet and a number of Committees and Outside Bodies as detailed in this report. 2.2. Councillors Burns and Macaulay will in consequence of their resignations no longer be Chair and Vice Chair respectively of Cabinet and the Staffing and Recruitment Committee and those positions will be filled by the newly elected Leader and Depute in accordance with the Scheme of Administration. 2.3. Councillor Burns has intimated that she will step down from the following positions which are held in her capacity as Leader of the Council and to which the new Leader should be appointed: Joint Committees Chair - Community Planning Partnership Board Ayrshire Economic Joint Committee – Rotational Chair Ayrshire Economic Partnership Board Ayrshire Shared Services Committee - Rotational Chair 1st Tier Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) Outside Bodies COSLA Leaders and Convention Convention of Highlands and Islands (COHI) Ardrossan Task Force – Joint Chair 2.4. Councillor Burns has also intimated her resignation from the Scottish Older People’s Assembly. 2.5. Councillor Macaulay has intimated that he will step down from the Community Planning Partnership Board, COSLA Convention and the JCC which are held in his capacity as Depute Leader of the Council and to which the new Depute Leader should be appointed. 2.6. Councillor Macaulay has also resigned from the following Outside Bodies and it is recommended that Council appoints the relevant new Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Education to those positions, once confirmed: COSLA Children and Young People Board SEEMiS Board of Management. 2.7. Elected Member remuneration will be amended to reflect the resignations and new appointments as Leader and Depute Leader of the Council in accordance with the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 Amendment Regulations 2025. 2.8. At the time of writing the report, the SNP Group have indicated that they wish to continue with the administration of the Council and nominations have been received for the appointment of Councillors Gurney and Larsen as Leader and Depute Leader of the Council respectively.
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3. Proposals That Council: a) notes the resignations of Councillors Burns and Macaulay from their respective positions as Leader and Depute Leader of the Council and associated Committees and Outside Bodies; b) seeks nominations and elects a new Leader and Depute Leader of the Council and appoints them to relevant Committees and Outside Bodies as detailed in paragraphs 2.3 and 2.5 respectively; and c) notes that appropriate changes will be made to Elected Member remuneration in accordance with the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 Amendment Regulations 2025. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1. None. Human Resources 4.2. None. Legal 4.3. The election of a new Leader and Depute Leader of the Council will fulfil compliance requirements with the Council’s Standing Orders and governance processes. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4. None Climate Change and Carbon 4.5. None. Key Priorities 4.6. Ensuring robust governance processes are in place including Elected Member appointments to key strategic roles is an essential element of the Council’s operations and complies with the Key Priority of being A Sustainable Council. Community Wealth Building 4.7. None. Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.8. None. United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.9. None. Consumer Duty 4.10. None 5. Consultation 5.1. None required for this report.
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Aileen Craig Head of Service (Democratic) For further information please contact Aileen Craig, Head of Service (Democratic), acraig@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. Background Papers None.