North Ayrshire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Ayrshire Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Àir a Tuath
Coat of arms Council logo
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Admin HQ	Cunninghame House, Irvine
Government
• Body	North Ayrshire Council
Area
• Total	341.9 sq mi (885.4 km2)
Area rank	Ranked 17th
Population  (2020)
• Total	135,280
• Rank	Ranked 15th
• Density	395.72/sq mi (152.790/km2)
ONS code	S12000021
ISO 3166 code	GB-NAY

North Ayrshire, known in Scottish Gaelic as Siorrachd Àir a Tuath, is one of 32 special areas in Scotland called council areas. These areas are like local government districts. North Ayrshire is located in the west of Scotland, next to the Firth of Clyde.

It shares borders with Inverclyde to the north and Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast. To the east and south, it borders East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire. The local government here is called North Ayrshire Council. It was created in 1996.

North Ayrshire covers the northern part of the old area called Ayrshire. It also includes the islands of Arran and The Cumbraes, which used to be part of an area called Buteshire. About 135,280 people live in North Ayrshire. The biggest towns are Irvine and Kilwinning.

History of North Ayrshire

North Ayrshire was formed in 1996. This was part of a big change in how local government worked in Scotland. Before 1996, Scotland had larger regions and smaller districts. The new system created single "council areas" that handled all local services.

North Ayrshire took over the same area that was once called the Cunninghame district. It also took on the responsibilities that the larger Strathclyde Regional Council used to have in this area. The name "North Ayrshire" shows its location within the historic area of Ayrshire. Even though the islands of Arran and The Cumbraes were part of Buteshire before 1975, they are now included in North Ayrshire.

Geography and Towns

The main office for North Ayrshire Council is in Irvine. Irvine is also the largest town in the area. Other towns include Ardrossan, Beith, Dalry, Kilbirnie, Kilwinning, Largs, Saltcoats, Skelmorlie, Stevenston, and West Kilbride.

The council area also includes the beautiful Isle of Arran and the islands of Great and Little Cumbrae. Arran is very large, covering almost half of North Ayrshire's land. However, less than 4% of the population lives there. North Ayrshire is famous for its countryside, coastlines, beaches, and interesting landmarks.

Coastal and Inland Towns

Towns in the north, like Skelmorlie, Largs, Fairlie, and West Kilbride, are popular with tourists in summer. They are also places where people live and travel to work in bigger cities.

In the south, you'll find towns such as Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston. Further south are Kilwinning and Irvine, which is the biggest town. Inland towns like Dalry, Kilbirnie, and Beith used to have large steel mills, but these are now closed.

Tourism is a very important industry on Arran and Cumbrae. However, many holiday homes on Cumbrae are making it harder for local people to find places to live. There are plans to improve areas like Ardrossan Harbour and Irvine town centre. Many new houses have also been built recently.

Kelburn Castle: A Historic Landmark

Kelburn Castle, located in Fairlie, is a very old building. It has been the home of the Boyle family since the 1100s. The current owner is the 10th Earl of Glasgow, Patrick Robin Archibald Boyle. In 2007, the castle was given a unique look by the Graffiti Project.

Economy and Jobs

North Ayrshire has a slightly higher number of people without jobs compared to the average for Scotland. To help with this, North Ayrshire launched an Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy in September 2020. This plan focuses on helping the economy grow back in a way that is good for everyone and the environment.

A special £8.8 million Investment Fund will be used for a "Green New Deal." This plan aims to:

• Use the council's land and resources to create more renewable energy.
• Create new "Green Jobs" to help people move into environmentally friendly work.
• Invest in business properties and make them more sustainable.
• Improve empty or unused land and buildings in town centres.
• Support local community projects that help the economy.
• Plant more trees to help absorb carbon from the air.

In May 2020, North Ayrshire Council became the first council in Scotland to become a "Community Wealth Building" (CWB) Council. This means they are using a new economic model that focuses on the well-being of people and the planet.

The North Ayrshire approach includes a new £660,000 Community Wealth Building Business Fund. This fund helps local businesses and supports things like co-operatives (businesses owned by their workers), employee ownership, and social enterprises (businesses that aim to help society). It also supports local supply chains, fair employment, using digital technology, and moving towards a green economy.

North Ayrshire will also benefit from the Ayrshire Growth Deal. This is a big economic plan created by both the Scottish Government and the UK Government. The £250 million Ayrshire Growth Deal will help create and secure jobs in North Ayrshire through a large investment program.

Local Government and Leadership

North Ayrshire
Council logo
Leadership
Provost	Anthea Dickson, SNP Since 18 May 2022
Leader	Marie Burns, SNP Since 18 May 2022
Chief Executive	Craig Hatton Since October 2018
Structure
Seats	33 councillors
Results of the 2022 election:
Political groups	Administration (12)      SNP (12) Other parties (17)      Conservative (10)      Labour (9)      Independents (2)
Elections
Voting system	Single transferable vote
Last election	6 May 2022
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Cunninghame House, Friars Croft, Irvine, KA12 8EE

Map of the council area's electoral wards, as of 2017

The North Ayrshire Council has been under "no overall control" since 2007. This means no single political party has enough elected members to make decisions on its own. Different groups of parties have worked together to lead the council.

After the 2022 election, the council is still under no overall control. It is currently led by a minority administration from the Scottish National Party (SNP). The next local election is planned for 2027.

Council Leaders Since 1996

The person in charge of the council is called the Leader. Here are the leaders since 1996:

How Elections Work

Since 2007, local elections in North Ayrshire happen every five years. They use a system called "single transferable vote." This system helps make sure that more votes count and that smaller parties can also get elected.

Here are the results of past elections:

Council Building and Wards

The council's main building is Cunninghame House in Irvine. It was built in 1975 and was originally the headquarters for the Cunninghame District Council.

As of 2022, the North Ayrshire area is divided into nine "wards." These are smaller areas that each elect several council members. There are 33 council members in total.

Main Settlements in North Ayrshire

The largest town and main administrative centre in North Ayrshire is Irvine. It is a "new town" located on the coast of the Firth of Clyde. The second largest settlement is Kilwinning. After that comes Saltcoats, which is part of a group known as the 'Three Towns' along with Ardrossan and Stevenston.

On the Isle of Arran, the biggest village is Lamlash. There are also many smaller villages across the island. On Great Cumbrae, the only town is Millport.

Here are the largest settlements by population:

Mainland Towns

• Ardrossan
• Beith
• Dalry
• Irvine
• Kilbirnie
• Kilwinning
• Largs
• Saltcoats
• Stevenston
• West Kilbride

Mainland Villages

Irvine is the most populous town and the administrative centre for North Ayrshire Council

Ardrossan is one of the largest towns in North Ayrshire by population

• Ardeer
• Auchentiber
• Barrmill
• Benslie
• Dreghorn
• Drybridge
• Fairlie
• Gateside
• Girdle Toll
• Glengarnock
• Longbar
• Skelmorlie
• Springside
• Stanecastle

Mainland Suburbs

• Barkip
• Broomlands
• Bourtreehill
• Burnhouse
• Castlepark
• Crosbie
• Chapeltoun
• Cunninghamhead
• Dalgarven
• Drakemyre
• Eglinton
• Fergushill
• Fullarton
• Giffordland
• Greenhills
• Hessilhead hamlet
• Highfield
• Hunterston
• Kelburn
• Lawthorn
• Lylestone
• Meigle
• Meikle Auchengree
• Montgreenan
• Nettlehirst
• Perceton
• Portencross
• Routenburn
• Seamill
• Sevenacres
• Shewalton
• Torranyard

Villages on the Isle of Arran

Great Cumbrae as seen from Largs

• Birchburn
• Blackwaterfoot
• Brodick
• Catacol
• Cladach
• Corrie
• Dippen
• Kildonan
• Kilmory
• Lagg
• Lamlash
• Lochranza
• Machrie
• Pirnmill
• Sannox
• Shiskine
• Sliddery
• Whitefarland
• Whiting Bay

Settlements on Great Cumbrae

• Millport

Places to Visit

North Ayrshire has many interesting places to visit, including:

• Kelburn Castle
• Barrmill Park
• Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
• Eglinton Country Park, Irvine
• Eglinton Tournament Bridge
• Irvine Harbour
• Spier's Old School Grounds

Images for kids

• 

  Brodick, a settlement in North Ayrshire on the Isle of Arran.

• 

  A view from Millport. Tourism, particularly in the islands, is a strong sector of North Ayrshire's economy.

See also

In Spanish: North Ayrshire para niños