North Ayrshire Labour has launched a manifesto for the council elections in May.

Titled A vision for a Better North Ayrshire, Labour says the manifesto looks to build on the Labour administrations six months in power.

The manifesto lists more than 100 pledges that Labour says will help create a better North Ayrshire.

These pledges include; a comprehensive plan for Better Housing council house building programme increased beyond 1000 homes greater regulations to improve the private rented sector and bring down the cost of private rents the creation of a municipal mortgage scheme to help young people onto the housing ladder

· a new North Ayrshire Youth Guarantee, including a guarantee of a positive destination for all 16 and 17 year olds

· continued investment to improve local schools, including primary schools

· further devolution of services down to communities - building on the £5 million allocated from Labour’s budget

· a municipal bus company to deliver a publicly owned transport service to replace our current rigged bus system

· a childcare co-operative to offer parents more flexible childcare

· using Labour’s investment in a Universal Basic Income to run trials to support a full UBI pilot · an anti-austerity pledge to fight against cuts

Labour Council Leader Joe Cullinane said: “This is a manifesto that will deliver a Better North Ayrshire.

“It is a manifesto that makes it clear that Labour will not sit back and accept the status quo - we will set about challenging and changing it.

“Labour in North Ayrshire will not accept that it is inevitable that over a third of local children are brought up in poverty, that a children’s performance at school will be determined by their families income, that there is a difference in life expectancy of over 20 years between many of our communities. Labour in North Ayrshire will look to deliver solutions to these societal ills.

“We are proud of our record in power over the last six months. We have achieved so much in such a short period of time. We will now take our message to doorsteps across North Ayrshire and ask local people to give us a full five-year term to build on our record and deliver our vision for a Better North Ayrshire in full.”