NORTH Ayrshire Council has pledged a £5000 donation to support charities working in the Middle East.

Councillors agreed to donate the sum to fund the work of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in the UK in recognition of the strain on resources due to the conflict in Israel.

At the recent meeting of the full council, only Largs Conservative councillor Tom Marshall didn’t give the move his support, calling on his dissent to be recorded.

Council Leader Willie Gibson said he supported the donation and explained that, while he personally supported the Palestinian position in Gaza, the donation was absolutely apolitical.

The DEC, which represents a number of major charities such as the British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children, launched its Gaza Crisis Appeal in August.