Conservative Ronnie Stalker beat his closest rival SNP candidate Robyn Graham by 724 votes to take the seat on North Ayrshire Council which was left vacant following the resignation of SNP councillor Joy Brahim.

There were six candidates standing in the by-election and Ronnie won with 2016 votes, while Robyn received 1292.

Speaking to the Herald after the results were announced at Dalry Primary School, Ronnie Stalker, who is a local butcher, said: "I've only got seven months until the next election, it is a 'fall on your sword' situation, I need to try and do as much as I can in the next seven months if I am to be elected again.

"It was a fair election there was no badness from any of the parties, it was a really good campaign, everybody had their own ideas.

​"In general it's the wee things that can be done, like wanting to fix the playing field and public situation for the kids of Dalry, and I know there are still surgery issues with West Kilbride so will be looking to join Todd Ferguson and helping him there."

The full results are:

Robyn Graham (SNP) - 1292
Ruby Kirkwood (Liberal Democrat) 58 
James McDaid (Socialist Labour) 57
Valerie Reid (Labour) - 305
Ronnie Stalker (Conservative) - 2016
John Willis (Independent) - 42

Both Robyn Graham and John Willis took to the podium thanked voters who turned out in support of them.

Robyn said: "I was really pleased with how our campaign went and we put in a power of work and congratulations to Ronnie and I really wish him the best."

Voter in Ward 6: 10,476. Turnout:3,801.

Percentage of votes 36.3%
Rejected ballots: 31
Total votes accepted: 3,770