THE attendance record of teachers across North Ayrshire is the best in Scotland, according to a new report.

New Audit Scotland figures show staff at our schools miss on average just 3.6 days per year through sickness compared to the national average of 6.3 days 

The report, titled, ‘An overview of local government in Scotland 2016’ highlights the excellent attendance record of teachers.

North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet discussed the report last week which looks into a wide range of issues faced by all 32 of Scotland’s councils.

The report highlights the reduction in revenue grant funding since 2011 - at the same times as demand for services increases.

Local authorities’ response to the main challenges were also scrutinised and found that more needs to be done to plan for the long term, prioritise more effectively and ensure that local people are more involved in the decision-making process.

At Tuesday’s meeting, councillors heard how NAC was already taking the necessary steps – and minimising the impact of reduced budgets.

Laura Friel, Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Support), said: “These are challenging times for councils across Scotland.

“The Audit Scotland report recognises Councils’ achievement in meeting the challenges to date and highlights the future unprecedented challenge faced by local authorities.”