NORTH Ayrshire Council’s bid to buy the Rivergate for £55million has now been binned after a close vote by councillors, the Herald can exclusively reveal.

The decision to scrap the plan won by just one single vote at a secret ‘special council meeting’ last week.

Ahead of last Wednesday’s public Full Council Meeting – which was broadcast online – a confidential meeting was held at noon excluding the press and public.

NAC declined to comment on the context of the ‘confidential item’, however several councillors from across parties confirmed the meeting was to vote on recommendations to purchase the Irvine shopping centre.

Labour voted for the plans with the Conservative group voting against it, while the SNP split between members within Irvine and Kilwinning voting in favour and others across North Ayrshire rejecting the bid.

In heavily redacted minutes of the meeting, Chief Executive Elma Murray set the recommendations for purchasing the centre.

Council Leader Joe Cullinane moved to approve the plans, with Depute Provost Robert Barr amending that councillors should reject it.

Following a debate, the vote was split with 17 councillors against the plans and 16 in favour.

Within Irvine and Kilwinning’s wards, Labour Councillors Ian Clarkson, Joe Cullinane, John Easdale, Robert Foster, Louise McPhater and Donald Reid joined SNP members Marie Burns, Scott Davidson, Christina Larsen and Shaun Macaulay voted to purchase the centre, while Conservative councillors Scott Gallacher, Angela Stephen, Margaret George and John Glover voted against.

SNP Councillors Joy Brahim, Tony Gurney, Alan Hill, Jean McClung, Ellen McMaster, Davina McTiernan rejected the plans, joined by the rest of North Ayrshire’s Conservative group of Timothy Billings, Todd Ferguson and Tom Marshall.

Independent councillors Robert Barr, Ronnie McNicol, Donald L Reid and Ian Murdoch also rejected the proposals.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a private meeting was held on Wednesday, 20 December.

“Due to the confidential nature of this meeting it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment.”

Back in September the Herald revealed the council proposal after obtaining leaked documents from Cunninghame House setting out the council’s case for purchasing the centre.

They stated that senior council officers met with owners Kennedy Wilson earlier this year where, “the potential for the centre to be sold through an off-market deal was raised”.

Council chiefs say that buying the Mall would support the economic regeneration of the town centre.

The documents state: “The case for purchase of the Rivergate Centre rests on the regeneration potential afforded by ownership, combined with the financial feasibility of the proposal.

“The purchase of the Rivergate would represent a unique purchase to support the economic regeneration of Irvine.”

According to the leaked files, the agreement of purchase of the Rivergate Mall by the council were to be in the hands of Chief Executive Elma Murray.

It states: “It is proposed that the agreement of Heads of Terms for the purchase of the Rivergate Centre, Irvine is delegated to the Chief Executive on the basis of the information contained within the report and for a price in the region of £55million.”

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