EAST Ayrshire Council has announced the sad passing of leader of the Labour opposition group, Maureen McKay.

The local authority said that Cllr McKay passed away today (Thursday, November 21) following a long illness.

Cllr McKay most recently represented Ward 2, Kilmarnock North, but had been a prominent figure across the council area.

She became leader of the Labour group in 2009 until 2017, and from 2022 until the present day.

A young cllr McKay.A young Cllr McKay (Image: East Ayrshire Council) Councillor Barry Douglas, depute leader of the Labour opposition, said: “We are all devastated by the death of Councillor McKay, who died peacefully following a long illness.

"She faced this illness with the determination and tenacity that she brought to everything in her life.

“And it was a life well-lived. She cared deeply about her Labour colleagues, her constituents, the communities of East Ayrshire and social justice.

"In her last few months, Maureen saw ‘the girls’ as she called them - Lillian Jones and Elaine Stewart - elected as MPs. She visited them in London in October and was bursting with pride to see them in the House of Commons with their names on their office doors.

“This was Maureen, a champion for others. For family, friends, strangers, she was determined to encourage those around her to achieve, to succeed and to be the absolute best they could be. She could see what was possible when others couldn’t.

“We have lost a true friend, who served faithfully and left her mark on all who knew her.

"We are greater for having known Maureen McKay and the depth of feeling at her passing underlines her contribution to East Ayrshire Council and the wider Labour movement, which was recently recognised in a letter from Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who also thanked her for her contribution to public life.”

Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of the Council, added: “Everyone at East Ayrshire Council is deeply saddened by the untimely death of councillor McKay who passed away this morning.

"Despite our political differences, Maureen shared a commitment to improving the lives of our communities above all, the length and breadth of East Ayrshire.

"She was a true public servant, and an incredible character who will be sadly missed.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very sad time.”

Cllr McKay died peacefully after a long illness and is survived by an adult son, Rory and daughter, Emma.