A number of jobs are on the line as a joint venture between the council and Cunninghame Housing Association comes to an end.

But the service users for Hazeldene’s Public Social Partnership will still receive top of the range support as they move to the new Trindlemoss development at the old Red Cross House in Irvine.

Despite a successful two year period of operation, the Kilwinning based initiative will be wound up in March 2019, as funding for the programme, which provides horticultural training and employment opportunities for unemployed local residents and adults with learning disabilities. comes to an end.

A report for North AyrshireCouncillors last week said that the partnership with Cunninghame Housing Association is no longer sustainable, having funded CHA’s annual funding gap for the service in each of the past two years – last year, this figure was £30,000.

The council believes that various new initiatives – including a new Supported Employment Service – will provide better services for disabled residents each year.

Frank Sweeney, Chief Executive of CHA, told the Times: “Although the PSP doesn’t end until March 19 we requested an early decision from North Ayrshire Council on the likelihood of an extension.

“We anticipated that, in the current climate, pressure on the budgets for the PSP was a distinct possibility, having experienced a similar situation last year with the end of the Care and Repair PSP.

“This time our Board were conscious of the need to have sufficient opportunity to enable ourselves and the Council to make alternative plans if required.

“Sixty per cent of the annual funding for Hazeldene comes through the PSP. Without a continuation of this PSP and its funding, we don’t have a realistic chance of securing alternative monies to sustain our work at Hazeldene at the current level beyond the March 19 timeframe. ”

Councillor Alex Gallagher, Cabinet Member for Economy, added: “We never like to end projects but the Hazeldene project is simply no longer sustainable or viable. We are investing £500,000 into our Supported Employment services and that will be matched by external funding.”