East Ayrshire

55.5°N 4.3°W / 55.5; -4.3

East Ayrshire
Aest Ayrshire
Siorrachd Àir an Ear
Coat of arms of East Ayrshire
Coat of arms
Official logo of East Ayrshire
Council logo
Coordinates: 55.4518496°N 4.2644478°W / 55.4518496; -4.2644478
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryScotland
Lieutenancy areaAyrshire and Arran
Admin HQLondon Road, Kilmarnock
Government
 • BodyEast Ayrshire Council
 • ProvostJim Todd
 • MPsAlan Brown
Allan Dorans
 • MSPsWillie Coffey
Elena Whitham
Area
 • Total487 sq mi (1,262 km2)
 • RankRanked 14th
Population
 (2021)
 • Total122,020
 • RankRanked 16th
 • Density250/sq mi (97/km2)
ONS codeS12000008
ISO 3166 codeGB-EAY
WebsiteEast Ayrshire Council
This article is about the council area. For the hospital, see East Ayrshire Community Hospital.

East Ayrshire (Scots: Aest Ayrshire; Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Àir an Ear) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquarters of the council are located on London Road, Kilmarnock.[1] With South Ayrshire and the mainland areas of North Ayrshire, it formed the former county of Ayrshire.

East Ayrshire had a population of 122,100 at the 2011 census, making it the 16th most populous local authority in Scotland.[2] Spanning a geographical area of 1,262 km2 (487 sq mi), East Ayrshire is the 14th-largest local authority in Scotland in terms of geographical area. The majority of the population of East Ayrshire live within and surrounding the main town, Kilmarnock. Other large population areas in East Ayrshire include Cumnock, the second-largest town, and smaller towns and villages such as Stewarton, Darvel and Hurlford.

The largest school in Scotland, the Robert Burns Academy, is located in Cumnock.[3]

History

County council
The Jougs in Kilmaurs in 1900, served as the council chamber for the Burgh of Kilmaurs

In May 1975, the county council was abolished and its functions were transferred to Strathclyde Regional Council. The county area was divided between four new districts within the two-tier Strathclyde region: Cumnock and Doon Valley, Cunninghame, Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Kyle and Carrick. The Cunninghame district included the Isle of Arran, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae, which had until then been administered as part of the County of Bute.

The former Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council was twinned with Sukhumi, Abkhazia. Following a review of such links in 2005, East Ayrshire continues the link as a friendship link.[4]

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994
Kilmarnock is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire and home to the council chambers

East Ayrshire was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which replaced Scotland's previous local government structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts with unitary council areas providing all local government services. East Ayrshire covered the combined area of the abolished Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Cumnock and Doon Valley districts, and also took over the functions of the abolished Strathclyde Regional Council within the area.[5] The area's name references its location within the historic county of Ayrshire, which had been abolished for local government purposes in 1975 when Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Cumnock and Doon Valley, and Strathclyde region had been created.[6]

In April 1996 the two-tier system of regions and districts was abolished and Ayrshire was divided between the unitary council areas of East Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Kilmarnock & Loudoun District and Cumnock & Doon Valley District), North Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Cunninghame District Council) and South Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Kyle and Carrick District). There are many early settlements within East Ayrshire.

There are many early settlements within East Ayrshire. The Burns Monument Centre and Dick Institute (both in Kilmarnock) are notable museums and cultural venues.

In 2017, East Ayrshire Council was named as the UK Council of the Year.[7] In 2016, East Ayrshire Council was awarded and recognised for its recycling and resource management.[8]

Settlements
The largest settlements in East Ayrshire.
Kilmarnock is the largest settlement in East Ayrshire with a population of over 46,000 and is home to the HQ for East Ayrshire Council
Cumnock is the second largest settlement in East Ayrshire

Kilmarnock is the largest town, followed by Cumnock; other towns are New Cumnock and Stewarton.

Largest settlements by population:

Settlement Population (mid-2020 est.)[9]
Kilmarnock

46,970

Cumnock

8,700

Stewarton

7,770

Galston

4,710

Hurlford

4,400

Darvel

3,900

Mauchline

3,900

Auchinleck

3,630

Drongan

3,060

Kilmaurs

2,790

Towns and villages

Economy
Further information: Economy of Scotland
Agriculture contributes a large part to East Ayrshire's economy

Historically the economy of East Ayrshire was dependent on industries such as coal mining, textiles and general manufacturing which largely fell into decline in Scotland during the 1970s and 1980s.[10] Certain parts of East Ayrshire, particularly in the south of the region, such as Auchinleck, Bellsbank and Dalmellington have struggled to recover from the economic hardship caused by the decline and gradual closure of traditional industries, and are supported through various initiatives to try and rejuvenate their economies.[10]

Loch Doon in East Ayrshire, near to Carrick
Dumfries House located in Cumnock has developed itself as a major local tourist attraction

Kilmarnock has seen a gradual decline in manufacturing performance in recent years. In 2009, Diageo, owner of whisky maker Johnnie Walker (which had been founded in Kilmarnock) announced the proposed closure of the bottling plant facility in Hill Street, and in 2012, Diageo closed the facility with the loss of 700 jobs.[11] In December 2015, Kilmarnock was awarded the title of Scotland's Most Improved Town due to efforts towards town regeneration and restoration.[12]

Food and drink as well as local tourism provides a large sum to the economy of East Ayrshire, with visitor attractions such as Dean Castle, Palace Theatre and Dumfries House generating large means of income for the area.[10] In rural communities of the authority, agriculture continues to be the leading sources of employment and economic productivity, particularly in the southern communities of the area.[10] The public sector is the largest employer within the area, with the council and NHS Ayrshire and Arran being significant employers.[10] Kilmarnock is home to the Halo Urban Generation (Kilmarnock) Ltd. company which was founded by Marie Macklin CBE, with a focus on providing opportunities for new businesses within the area,[13] and with an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) revenue of £205 million to the Scottish economy, it supports 1,500 jobs within the area.[13]

Places of interest
Dean Castle, Kilmarnock

Education
Further information: Education in Scotland
The new Ayrshire College campus opened in Kilmarnock in October 2016

East Ayrshire has nine secondary schools, forty-three primary schools, four schools which cater for children with additional support needs, thirty-three early education childhood centres and three children's houses.[14]

Kilmarnock Academy is one of only two schools in the world to have educated two Nobel laureates: Alexander Fleming and John Boyd Orr. Both men attended Kilmarnock Academy when it was located on North Hamilton Street; the school has since relocated to Sutherland Drive.[15][16]

Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, is one of only seven Scottish Football Association (SFA) Performance Schools.[17]

The Robert Burns Academy in Cumnock is the largest educational campus in Scotland.[18]

The area's secondary schools include:

Kilmarnock is home to a campus of Ayrshire College, which provides a range of courses to adults as well as school-aged pupils. It is funded by East Ayrshire council and other educational providers. The campus opened in October 2016 in a new, £53 million, building on the site of the Johnnie Walker bottling plant. It superseded the Kilmarnock College building on Holehouse Road.[19]

Politics and governance
Main article: East Ayrshire Council

Policy and decision making in East Ayrshire is the responsibility of East Ayrshire Council, the body of elected councillors elected to represent East Ayrshire on the council. The council chambers and HQ is located on London Road in Kilmarnock.

UK Parliament
Constituency Member Party
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Alan Brown SNP
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Allan Dorans SNP
Constituency MSPs
Constituency Member Party
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Willie Coffey SNP
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Elena Whitham SNP
Regional List MSPs
Constituency Member Party
South Scotland Emma Harper Scottish National
Craig Hoy Conservative
Brian Whittle Conservative
Sharon Dowey Conservative
Carol Mochan Labour
Martin Whitfield Labour
Colin Smyth Labour

References
  1. "East Ayrshire Council Social Services , Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire KA3 7BU".
  2. "Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  3. "Scotland's biggest school will be finished tomorrow in East Ayrshire". 8 October 2020.
  4. "TOWN TWINNING UPDATE - Report by Depute Chief Executive/Executive Director of Corporate Support" (PDF). East Ayrshire Council. 5 September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  5. "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 3 January 2023
  6. "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 29 December 2022
  7. "East Ayrshire named UK Council of the Year 2017 - East Ayrshire Council News". www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  8. "National Recycling Awards 2016 - East Ayrshire Council News". www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  9. "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  10. "East Ayrshire's Economic Development Strategy 2014/2025" (PDF). East Ayrshire Council.
  11. "Johnnie Walker leaves Kilmarnock". BBC News.
  12. Alderson, Reevel (10 December 2015). "Kilmarnock scoops regeneration award". BBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  13. "HALO Kilmarnock, Scotland | Urban Renewal Project | HALO Scotland Urban Regeneration".
  14. "Educational and Social Services - East Ayrshire Council". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  15. "kilmarnockacademy.co.uk". kilmarnockacademy.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  16. "Kilmarnock Academy: Former pupils" (PDF). Kilmarnock History. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  17. "Grange Academy | Performance Schools | Scottish FA".
  18. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/scotlands-biggest-school-takes-shape-14157676
  19. "First Minister opens £53 million Ayrshire College Kilmarnock campus".
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