The council’s chief executive Elma Murray has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honours List. 

Also recognised in the list are Joyce Helen White from Saltcoats, who is to receive an OBE, and Elaine Davidson McIntee from Irvine, who has been awarded a BEM. 

Appointed chief executive of North Ayrshire Council in 2009, Ms Murray is to receive an OBE for services to local government, education and the economy. 

Ms Murray, who is also currently the chairperson of Young Scot, has a local government career spanning three decades, holding several senior positions including chairperson of SOLACE, director of the Improvement Service, depute director of Finance and head of Service Reform at Glasgow City Council, and head of IT Services at North Ayrshire and at Strathclyde Police.