Just one in 600 people have taken part in an online budget challenge set by North Ayrshire Council.

More than 200 people completed the challenge, set up to give residents a feel of what it's like when local authority officials weigh up competing priorities when deciding the council's future spending plans.

But from a population of 134,220 people in 2021, that means only one in every 671 residents took up the invitation.

Cabinet member for finance, Christina Larsen, said people’s views would be taken very seriously as the local authority draw up plans for the 2023-24 settlement.

Ardrossan councillor Amanda Kerr asked how many had completed the challenge at December’s full council meeting.

Cllr Larsen replied: “The online budget challenge allowed residents to set their own ‘virtual budget’.

“The budget challenge tool launched in late October with 201 responses received with the closing date December 15.

“The survey was promoted via local press, social media campaigns and internally to staff. An invitation to participate in the survey was also issued by our business development team to their extensive list of North Ayrshire businesses and by our Connected Communities team to their network of community and voluntary organisations.

“Members will be provided with the results of the exercise early in the new year to consider as part of the budget process.”

Asked if the opinions would be taken seriously, Cllr Larsen said:  “I think it’s incumbent on every single councillor in this chamber to take on these responses as we are all duty-bound to set a balanced budget.”

The area's annual budget meeting is due to be held on February 14.