A councillor has told how she will step down from North Ayrshire Council for personal reasons.

Joy Brahim, who was elected to represent the Dalry and West Kilbride area for the SNP in 2017 is resigning from her role as she taken on new work outwith Dalry adding stepping aside is the "right thing to do".

She added that she would continue to work for Kenneth Gibson MSP from Holyrood.

Ms Brahim told the Herald: “My election to this Council has been based on my principal place of work being in Dalry.  As I have decided to change my place of work for private reasons, I believe that stepping aside to make place for someone who either lives or works in North Ayrshire is the right thing to do. 

“The communities in the Dalry and West Kilbride ward are home to kind people and spirited community groups, and I know that my successor too will enjoy working with and for them.

“I am grateful to everyone I have worked with over the past four years including Council officers, fellow Councillors, local SNP activists and especially the Leader of the SNP Group, Cllr Marie Burns.

"I will continue to work for Kenneth Gibson MSP from Holyrood and extend my very best wishes to all.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Councillor Joy Brahim has tendered her resignation as ward member for Dalry and West Kilbride.

“Councillor Brahim has served as local elected member since May 2017.

“Since then she has been a strong and active member of the Council, sitting on the Audit and Scrutiny Committee, the Local Development Plan Committee and as a substitute member of both the Appeals Committee and Staffing and Recruitment.

“She was also a member of the Garnock Valley Locality Planning Partnership and the North Coast and Cumbrae Locality Planning Partnership.

“We thank Joy for the contribution has made to the Council over the past four years and wish her the very best for the future.”