NORTH Ayrshire Council’s plans to increase the number of councillors from 30 to 35 would mean splitting Saltcoats and Kilbirnie in two for local elections and council representation.

In June, The Herald reported that the Council is recommending to the Boundary Commission for Scotland – currently consulting on electoral arrangements in local authorities – an additional five councillors to represent residents due to the high levels of deprivation in parts of North Ayrshire.

Now the council is to submit a second report, with additional reasons for five more members.

At last week’s council meeting, maps were distributed to councillors showing how the ward boundaries would be affected by aligning them with its ‘neighbourhood planning areas’.

Council officers argue these more accurately represent communities in terms of geography and demographics.

According to Chief Executive Elma Murray: “It will make it much simpler for councillors to be able to manage their wards.” NAC proposals would see the existing wards of Ardrossan and Arran and Saltcoats and Stevenston become Ardrossan and Saltcoats West and Stevenston and Saltcoats East – dividing Saltcoats between two wards.

Arran would become part of a new ward called West Kilbride, Fairlie and Arran.

In the Garnock Valley, Dalry and West Kilbride and Kilbirnie and Beith wards would become Dalry and Kilbirnie West and Beith and Kilbirnie East – also dividing Kilbirnie in two.

One effect of these new wards, along with an additional ward in Irvine, would be the need for five extra councillors.

The exact split within the towns is unknown as the council declined to make the maps public until consultation with councillors is complete.

Councillor John Bruce raised the issue of public consultation with Elma Murray.

He said: “There has been no discussion [of these proposals] within my ward as, so far, this has all been confidential.

"Are we now into consultation phase given that this is now in the public domain?” Elma Murray replied: “This is not public consultation.

"That is a matter for the Boundary Commission.” Councillor John Hunter was sceptical about the new ward boundaries.

He said: “Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston are three naturally defined communities, approximately the same size.

“In my response to officers I proposed three wards – one for each town each with three councillors – but I don’t see that reflected here.” Elma Murray replied that the Three Towns have very different numbers of electors so a three ward split could not be justified under Boundary Commission rules.

The notion of five extra councillors was met with some scorn by Conservative councillor for North Coast and Cumbraes Tom Marshall.

Proposing a motion that the council sticks with 30 members he said: “Is a bigger council going to be a better council?

"You can do what you like with numbers.

"You’ve all heard the story of Tesco and Aldi.

"Tesco has 3,500 stores and Aldi has 500.

"Who is doing better in the marketplace?

“To increase the number of councillors is not going to be acceptable out on the street.

“If you ask people if they want another five councillors you will find that the answer is ‘no’.” Councillor Marshall’s motion was defeated – although he found support from Councillors Jean Highgate (Ind), John Hunter (Ind), Elizabeth McLardy (Ind), Ronnie McNicol (Ind) and Robert Steel (Ind). Councillors John Bruce (SNP) and Alan Munro (Lab) abstained.

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “In more deprived communities, constituents may not be as willing or able to contact their councillor as those in more affluent areas.

"This is one of the reasons why the council agreed with the Boundary Commission’s proposal that the number of councillors should depend on two key factors – how deprived an area is and how rural that area is.”