North Ayrshire Council has approved a new five-year plan outlining their strategic priorities and the key activities for delivery over the next five years.

Developed alongside communities, the plan shows how the Council aims to work in partnership and fulfil its commitment to be 'Fair For All.'

In a joint statement, Council Leader Marie Burns and Chief Executive Craig Hatton said: "Our Council Plan is a key strategic document, setting the framework for how we will work and develop North Ayrshire to meet our communities' needs and expectations over the next five years.

"It helps steer resources to the areas that can make the greatest difference to the lives of our people in North Ayrshire both now and in the future."

The Council Plan contains four main priorities that have been developed to support the vision of 'A North Ayrshire that is Fair For All', and the mission that we will be 'Working together to improve the lives of our people in North Ayrshire'.

These priorities, which have our communities right at the heart of them, are:

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• Wellbeing – developing a wellbeing economy, delivering prosperity, wellbeing and resilience for local people. This will focus on tackling inequalities through supporting people into training and employment; promoting a Fair Work economy; improving educational attainment, closing the poverty-related attainment gap and maintaining a place we can all be proud of where people want to live, work and visit.

• Communities and Local Democracy – having active, inclusive and resilient communities. This builds on the great community networks we already have in North Ayrshire and seeks to further strengthen relationships with communities at a locality level, creating the environment for them to grow and ensuring all residents can take part in and influence local democracy.

• Climate Change – achieving net-zero by 2030. This will centre on embedding net-zero ambition in all decision making; reducing the Council's estate carbon footprint; protecting the environment; supporting local businesses as they meet their climate change obligations and working with communities to adopt low carbon behaviour change.

• A Sustainable Council – further developing as a Community Wealth Building Council that is efficient, accessible, maximises investment and focuses resources towards our priorities.

The four priorities were developed by listening to the real lived experience of residents, including a series of mini enquiries led by the Child Poverty and Cost of Living Board focusing on challenges like employability and access to food.

Also, in January this year, Councillor Burns and Mr Hatton held discussions at public engagement sessions with community representatives across all six localities to understand the views and priorities.

And an online survey linked to the engagement sessions returned 1400 responses, giving people across North Ayrshire the chance to have their say on how North Ayrshire can continue to build on its commitment to be Fair For All.