THE SNP group at North Ayrshire Council have a new Deputy Leader, it has been revealed.

Taking over will be the council’s Youth Champion and Irvine West councillor Shaun Macaulay.

Previous deputy Cllr Alan Hill decided not to put himself forward at their recent AGM because he ‘felt that it was time to allow one of our newer elected members to get some experience within the leadership team'.

Cllr Shaun Macaulay said: “It’s a real privilege to have been elected as Deputy Leader of the North Ayrshire SNP group by my fellow SNP Councillors. Firstly can I pay tribute to Alan Hill, he has been an excellent Deputy over a number of years and his experience has been invaluable to not only our SNP group but the wider council.

“In last year’s local council election the people of North Ayrshire placed their trust in the SNP once again by voting an SNP Councillor to represent every single community in the area. It was the SNP that achieved the greatest number of votes from local people, and most recently it was the SNP Group that got our budget passed at meeting of the full Council.

“The SNP group on North Ayrshire has abundance of talent and experience and as Deputy Leader, along with our Leader Marie Burns and all our councillors, I will work tirelessly to provide the leadership that will build on the trust local communities have placed in us and look to work across political divisions to deliver for the people of North Ayrshire.”

His predecessor Cllr Alan Hill said: “Shaun was elected for the first time a year ago but has already shown his commitment to the council area and has put in an enormous amount of work as the council’s Youth Champion.

“I am confident that Shaun will go on to great things and I am delighted to see him step up to this challenge."