A Conservative councillor suggested breeding rabbits could be a possible ‘money spinner’ rather than raising residents’ council tax.

The council is recommending a removal of the council tax cap and introduction of a transient visitor tax – also known as a tourist tax – in response to a national review on local governance.

Irvine West Cllr Scott Gallacher called the recommendations a “massive tax grab” which would “punish middle class home owners”, while Labour leader Joe Cullinane said the Conservative showed he doesn’t know what a tourist tax is.

While questioning how a tourist tax would work at last week’s council meeting, Cllr Gallacher said: “Cllr Foster said it could be a money spinner, we could buy two rabbits and start breeding them – that could be a money spinner.”

However the Conservative amendment to remove the tax recommendations was defeated by 24 votes against seven in favour.

After the meeting, Cllr Gallacher said: “This is very worrying to say the least. Joe Cullinane has a clear message to any resident of North Ayrshire who has worked hard, saved hard, spent their life trying to be independent of the state, and putting money into their home, ‘I am after every last penny you have”.

But Cllr Cullinane said: “Scott Gallacher, clearly not content with embarrassing himself last week, is now making stuff up to hide his own incompetence after he exposed he knows nothing about budgets, local taxation and the Local Governance Review.

“I would have expected even Tory Councillors like Gallacher, to know what a Tourist Tax is. For clarity – it would not be paid by local residents, or local businesses but it would be a small levy paid by visiting hotel guests.”