Budget surveys attract more than 500 responses so far

Residents across North Ayrshire are invited to have their say on the Council’s 2026-27 Budget.

So far, more than 500 responses have been received to the surveys on areas which could be impacted by the forthcoming budget.

A Budget gap of approximately £12.5 million is expected for 2026/27 and significant savings will be required to deliver a balanced budget.

Given the scale of the financial challenge, the Council is conducting engagement with residents to find out how potential changes may affect communities across North Ayrshire.

Among the areas where we are seeking the views of our communities are:

Schools and related services for Children and Young People

• Realigning the level of teaching resource across North Ayrshire schools
• Reducing Pupil Support Assistant hours to align with pupil rolls in mainstream schools
• Increasing charges at Arran Outdoor Education Centre

Other Council services

• Streamlining the participatory budgeting process
• Increasing Temporary Accommodation Rents
• Reviewing the waste collection frequency for purple and blue bins on the mainland and Cumbrae
• Exploring opportunities for regional collaboration on an Ayrshire-wide basis

The feedback received during this engagement will help inform councillors when they meet early in 2026 to set the Budget.

Paper copies of these surveys will be available in local libraries and KA Leisure facilities. Alternatively, residents can call the Council’s Contact Centre on 01294 310000 and the surveys can be filled in over the phone. The contact centre is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4.45pm and Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.

In addition to the surveys, Council officers will meet with community groups and stakeholders over the coming weeks to gather their views on how any changes might impact them.

The online surveys are open until 19 December 2025 and you can find more information on the Council website.

Published: 17 November 2025