Budget engagement feedback presented to elected members

North Ayrshire Council has published the findings of its recent Budget engagement exercise.

The engagement, which ran throughout November and December last year, invited local residents and community groups to share their views on a range of Council services ahead of the 2026/27 Budget.

A total of 1,225 submissions were received, in addition to a series of valuable in‑person discussions with community groups across North Ayrshire.

To ensure the process was as accessible as possible, surveys were made available online, by phone through the Council’s Contact Centre, and in person at a range of frontline locations. Community group sessions were held in person, many with the option to join online, to encourage maximum participation.

Working with our young people, we developed a child friendly version of the questions which was used at face-to-face engagement sessions with school pupils, young people with disabilities, the North Coast Youth Forum, North Ayrshire Youth Conference and North Ayrshire Joint Champions Board Conference.

The feedback will be presented to Elected Members at a meeting of Full Council next week (Wednesday 11 February).

North Ayrshire Council’s Chief Executive, Craig Hatton, expressed his appreciation for the level of public engagement.

Mr Hatton said: “I’m delighted to see such a strong response to our budget engagement once again. It’s testament to our communities and their commitment to North Ayrshire that so many people took the time to share their views.

“The feedback we’ve received is hugely insightful, and I want to thank everyone who contributed. These findings have now been shared with our Elected Members and will help inform decision‑making ahead of the Budget being set on 25 February.”

The engagement exercise invited views on a wide range of Council services, including:

• Teacher–pupil ratios
• Pupil Support Assistant provision
• Purple and blue bin collection schedules
• Potential for shared services across Ayrshire

A full report outlining the engagement results can be viewed on the Council website.

North Ayrshire Council will meet on Wednesday 25 February to set the Budget and confirm Council Tax levels for the 2026/27 financial year.

Published: 06 February 2026