NORTH Ayrshire Council has today appointed a new provost and deputy provost for the next five years.

Councillor Anthea Dickson will assume the role of provost, after her unopposed nomination by Cllr Shaun Macaulay, which was seconded by Cllr Alan Hill.

The Garnock Valley councillor was appointed at the first full council meeting since the May 5 election.

The next item on the agenda for the meeting was to appoint Cllr Dickson's depute.

The first nomination for this role was Garnock Valley independent councillor Donald L. Reid - who was nominated by Cllr Scott Gallagher, and seconded by Cllr Ronnie Stalker of the Scottish Conservatives.

READ MORENorth Ayrshire Council Election results 2022

This was met with opposition, with Cllr Joe Cullinane nominating Cllr John Sweeney to assume this role, a motion which was seconded by Cllr Robert Foster - all of the Scottish Labour Party.

This led to a vote between all present members - which did not include the absent councillors Louise McPhater and Jim Montgomerie - who sent their apologies.

This resulted in all Conservative and independent councillors voting in favour of Donald L. Reid, and all SNP and present Labour candidates opting for Cllr Sweeney.

This led to Cllr Reid receiving 12 votes, and Cllr Sweeney obtaining 19, therefore, the Scottish Labour councillor assumed the role of deputy provost.

They move into the posts with immediate effect, replacing the outgoing provost Ian Clarkson, who did not stand for election this year, and former depute Robert Barr, who was not elected in the Garnock Valley this year.