It was a strong show of support for the Conservatives in North Coast and Cumbrae as Tom Marshall gained 2686 first preference votes, while the area also voted in its first independent voice in Ian Murdoch.
The new NAC set-up sees 11 SNP, 11 Labour, seven Conservatives, and four independents, as our new decision makers, and with no outright majority, interesting times lie ahead. 
In the North Coast, Cllr. Marshall received the most first preference votes of any other councillor in Ayrshire, over 500 ahead of anyone.
SNP’s Alan Hill and Labour’s Alex Gallagher both consolidated their positions, while SNP’s Grace McLean lost her seat.
West Kilbride area also voted in Todd Ferguson of the Tories with the biggest first preference vote of 1,137, with Independent Robert Barr and SNP’s Joy Brahim. The two independent candidates of Liz McLardy and Kay Hall split the independent vote, and both missed out. 
Conservative councillor Tom Marshall said: “It was a very good result, and we worked very hard for it. We ran a good campaign and we will now be able to promote Conservative policies within the council.
“Priorities as far as Largs is concerned is resolving parking issues and improving the town centre. There will be the national issue of the second independence referendum, and that is the main reason we got voted in, as so many people are very much against a second independence referendum”
SNP Councillor Alan Hill was voted in for his fourth term, and said: “I am delighted at the result for myself but very disappointed for Grace McLean who has put in a huge amount of work over the last few years, and unfortunately the other parties have re-run the referendum rather than fighting the election on council and local issues, given the council is supposed to be about council services. 
“From our perspective the big issue is the council budgets, and cuts in the Scottish block grant from Westminster, and the ongoing drive of decision making for communities.”
Labour’s Alex Gallagher said: “I am glad that I have been chosen again by the public. I envisage the next five years to be dominated by council budgets. We have had a £73m cut over the last six to seven years, and we had a £9m cut this year, and it looks set to be even more next year
“We would like to finish the school campus, and I would like to see the prom improved, and the main road refurbished. If we lose that, we will lose the tourism trade. On Cumbrae, I would really like to get a fuel supply for cars, petrol and/or diesel.”
Independent Ian Murdoch said: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me, and give a massive thank you to Margaret Brown and all the volunteers I had in my campaign, and thank my wife and children. I will look at all matters on an issue by issue basis.
“To have an independent councillor in Largs is massive. There is no party politics from me, it is all about Largs and the North Coast.”

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

And in the West Kilbride ward...
Independent Robert Barr said: “I am delighted, specially given what I have had to put up with through the campaign. The big issues are being overshadowed by the general election but locally we need our road systems improved.
Conservative councillor Todd Ferguson said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be so highly thought of by the local people. We are in a strong place, and Tom Marshall in the north coast has finally got a bit of company. A lot of the local issues are trying to find infrastructure to support some of the developments that are coming through, and I am quite keen on the future at Hunterston, but all of that will come with time.”
New SNP councillor for West Kilbride, Joy Brahim said: “I look forward to making a positive change. There are issues with the traffic management in West Kilbride, and as with every town in Scotland, we need to focus on high streets and local businesses, and hopefully we can bring in more investment.”