Stevenston (ward) explained

Stevenston
Year:2017
Council:North Ayrshire
Region:Scotland
Map1:Stevenston.svg
Map Entity:North Ayrshire
Map Year:2017–2022
Abolished:2022
Previous:Saltcoats and Stevenston
Next:Saltcoats and Stevenston
Electorate:9,565 (2017)
Elects Howmany:3
Towns:Stevenston
Scot Parl:Cunninghame South
Scot Region:West Scotland
Westminster:North Ayrshire and Arran

Stevenston was one of the 10 electoral wards of North Ayrshire Council. Created in 2017 following the Fifth Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements, the ward elected three councillors using the single transferable vote electoral system. As a result of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, the ward was abolished in 2022.

The area was a Labour stronghold after the only election in 2017 returned two Labour and one Scottish National Party (SNP) councillors.

Boundaries

The ward was created following the Fifth Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ahead of the 2017 Scottish local elections. This was the first review after the introduction of the single transferable vote electoral system in 2007. Stevenston was one of three new wards created in North Ayrshire as the total number of councillors was increased to more evenly balance electoral parity in the region. The ward centered around the town of Stevenston in the southwest of the council area. It was formed from the eastern half of the Saltcoats and Stevenston ward which was abolished as part of the review.[1]

In 2018, the Scottish Parliament passed the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 which included provisions to improve the representation of island communities on councils. As a result, an intermediate review of the boundaries in North Ayrshire was carried out. The review coincided with the introduction of the Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020 which allowed for the creation of five-member wards. This proposed the abolition of the Stevenston ward with the area it represented placed into a re-established five-member Saltcoats and Stevenston ward. The proposals for North Ayrshire were subsequently approved by the Scottish Parliament and the ward was abolished in 2022.[2] [3]

Election results

2017 election

See main article: 2017 North Ayrshire Council election.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fifth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements; North Ayrshire Council Area . Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland . May 2016 . 15 May 2023.
  2. Web site: Review of Electoral Arrangements; North Ayrshire Council Area . Boundaries Scotland . June 2021 . 15 May 2023.
  3. Web site: North Ayrshire: Changes on the way as voters get set to go to polls . Irvine Times . Andy . Hamilton . 5 March 2022 . 2 May 2022.