NORTH Ayrshire Council will need to hold another by-election in the coming months.

It comes after it was confirmed that the current councillor for Arran, Timothy Billings, is set to resign from his role next month.

The only elected member for the island ward is planning to leave the position after taking the decision to move away from the island he represents.

The Conservative councillor became the first ever councillor for the sole Arran ward when boundary changes came into play at the most recent election - winning 32.4 per cent of first preference votes.

North Ayrshire Conservative group leader, Cameron Inglis, said: "We are sad to see Timothy leave us, he is a great councillor for Arran and for the Scottish Conservative group and will be missed hugely.

"Unfortunately living on the island has gotten hard due to the ferry situation and he and his partner have taken the decision to move."

When he officially resigns from his role as councillor, it will trigger another by-election for the vacant North Ayrshire Council seat.

It will the second required since the original election back in 2022, with the last taking place in May following the passing of former Kilwinning councillor John Glover, of the Conservative Party.

That vote was won by Labour's Mary Hume, making the party the leading opposition in North Ayrshire Council.