CENTRAL Ayrshire MP Brian Donohoe has hit out at North Ayrshire Council after a vote was passed to ban election campaign posters.

The ban saw Labour, Conservative and Independent Councillors come together to defeat the SNP led council by 13 votes to 11.

Donohoe said: “I do not accept that this decision is a good decision for democracy and have always believed that anything that can be done to attract more voters to the polling stations should be done.

“Furthermore, I was not consulted in any way about this decision.

"I was angry when South Ayrshire Council did the same thing without consulting with elected representatives.

“I intend to write to the Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council to ask for reconsideration to be made and for this decision to be reversed!

“The banning of these posters is perceived as a short term advantage however, I believe it will result in a long term disadvantage.

"I am appalled that I was not contacted before this decision was taken!” A spokesperson for the SNP council group commented: “It’s telling that the MP would wish to distance himself from his Better Together colleagues in North Ayrshire Council. “The paper brought to full council was a re-affirmation of the existing policy, a policy which has worked very well for years.

“Mr Donohoe should be very clear that it is the action of the Labour/Tory alliance that has resulted in the removal of this long established local practice. “All elected members have a responsibility to raise awareness of the democratic process and increase participation in elections, readers will make their own minds up about whether the Better Together councillors actions meet that responsibility.” The Labour Group within North Ayrshire Council have made no comment on the issue stating that Mr Donohoe is free to express his own opinion on the issue.