Ayrshire County, Scotland

COUNCILLORS voted to condemn unpaid work trials, with members describing the practice by some employers as 'slave labour'. The SNP presented a motion at last week's full council meeting in support of the party's forthcoming bill at Westminster which seeks to prohibit unpaid trial work periods.

NORTH Ayrshire's new way of engaging with locals about the budget received just 207 replies - and cost more than £11,000. For 2018's budget, the council produced a new website where anyone could log on and see where savings would be made and what impact this would have on services.

NORTH Ayrshire Council will be writing to Police Scotland to carry out a “new, full and thorough investigation” into the controversial PPP schools. At the Full Council meeting last week, a motion was passed which will mean that the procurement process into the building of the four schools, Stanley Primary, ...

A CHRISTENING Robe made nearly 200 years ago in Ayrshire is to be displayed at the new V&A in Dundee. The garment, believed to have been made in the 1840s, features an intricate hand-embroidered design of trailing stems bearing flowers and leaves. It is coming out of storage for the first time in ...

A 180-year-old Ayrshire christening robe has been restored by textile conservation experts ahead of being displayed in V&A Dundee. The garment has been taken out of storage for the first time in 50 years. The christening robe features an intricate hand-embroidered design of trailing stems bearing flowers ...

A HAMMER maniac faces life in prison after he admitted bludgeoning a shop worker's head in a “barbaric” murder bid. Crazed James McMurdy battered 63-year-old Senga Houston TEN times with the hammer during a raid in Catrine, Ayshire – even smacking her as she lay motionless on the ground.

An Ayrshire couple are reminiscing over their 'perfect from start to finish' day after featuring in the Post's new spread Wedding of the Week. Cassie Hornby, 29, a nurse from Ayr married Merchant Navy Engineer, Russell Henderson, 31 from Prestwick. The pair have recently moved to Monkton. “We met in ...

New figures show that in 2016/17 there were 350 full-time classroom assistants in North Ayrshire. That figure has increased to 366 in 2017/18. On top of the increase, 25 classroom assistants, whose temporary contracts were expiring, were redeployed to be trained to become early years practitioners.

North Ayrshire Councillor was told he had breached the councillors' code of conduct after discussing the proposed Rivergate deal in council chambers. The accusation was levelled at Ronnie McNicol after quizzing the council leader on associated costs incurred in the mooted purchase of the centre.

More than 13,000 speed offences have been captured on Ayrshire's roads over the past three years, new figures show. Fast drivers were caught 13,103 times racing through the streets at breakneck speeds across the county from 2015 to 2017. And the highest clocked by a speed camera during that period ...

A 180-year-old Ayrshire christening robe has been restored by textile conservation experts ahead of being displayed in V&A Dundee. The garment has been taken out of storage for the first time in 50 years. The christening robe features an intricate hand-embroidered design of trailing stems bearing flowers ...

Proposed by Councillor Tony Gurney, he said: “This is an attempt to reach the truth.” Adding that, “The people of North Ayrshire deserve a comprehensive investigation into allegations made in the documentary, The Only Game In Town. They are serious allegations and deserve a serious response.

A charity befriending project has received over £44,000 in funding to continue their work through to 2020. South Ayrshire's project 'Buddies' has been awarded £44,319, thanks to the Young Start programme as part of Big Lottery, to continue to help the youngsters until March 31, 2020. The charity, on ...

North Ayrshire Council has reached agreement over equal pay claims from more than 500 current and former employees. The workers, mostly women, had claimed they were paid less than others doing work of equal value. The council has not given a figure for the overall cost of the settlement but said all ...

The Outlander cast and crew will return to a picturesque Ayrshire village next month to film scenes for season 4 of the time travelling romance. Dunure in South Ayrshire will receive an 18th Century makeover when the crews arrive on Monday, March 5. The production team have used the village twice ...