Investing in civic pride

Included in the improvement package is the installation of 200 new street bins and the replacement of 500 damaged bins that are no longer fit for purpose. There will also be 19 additional posts within Cleaner Communities to improve street cleaning and waste removal, and over 32,800 additional bookings available each year at Western Road.

The report presented to elected members follows the independent review of Greener Communities, which was agreed on 29 January 2026, and will see the transfer of the majority of Greener Communities services to Ayrshire 360 in April 2027. Bins within parks and cemeteries will be serviced by Ayrshire 360 while responsibility for street bins, fly-tipping removal and bulky uplift collections will remain with the Council.

The decisions taken by elected members will ensure that the services that remain with the Council receive the investment they need to deliver an improved service and will also address issues that are raised by communities across East Ayrshire.

In addition to the new street bins and the new posts, six new vehicles will be purchased. This will ensure that bulky uplifts can be collected within five working days and fly-tipping removal timescales can be reduced from the current 28 days. The Depute Chief Executive – Communities and Economy will also engage with employees and the Joint Trade Unions with the aim of introducing a seven-day service.

To improve access to the recycling centre at Western Road, a decision was taken to reduce appointment times from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, this will increase the number of appointments available by 32,864 a year. Ten-minute appointments will be introduced as quickly as possible.

Councillor Jim McMahon, Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities said: “All elected members recognise the picture that has been so clearly laid out in this report. We know from the Greener Communities review that we are doing some things really well, like bereavement services for example and the gull management action plan, which is being replicated by other local authorities but we know that improvements, and importantly investment, has to be made in Cleaner Communities to improve the service that is currently being delivered.

“Significantly increasing the number of appointments available at Western Road recycling centre, will make a huge difference and directly responds to feedback from our communities. This will take a bit of time to introduce but the team will action this as quickly as possible.

“200 new street bins and 500 damaged bins being replaced, 19 additional posts created and beginning engagement with staff, and Joint Trade Unions, with the aim of introducing a seven day a week service is all great news that will undoubtedly have a positive impact across East Ayrshire.

“We are going to continue the great work of the Corporate Enforcement Unit, using deployable cameras at fly-tipping hot spots, continuing investigations so that environmental crime is reported and offenders charged, and the team will continue to work with Education within our schools to encourage children and young people to act responsibly.

“The Council is working hard to find new ways to reduce littering in East Ayrshire, like the bin sensor trial that we are piloting in Stewarton or compacting street bins in Kilmarnock and it is investing in services to help keep our streets cleaner. We are very grateful to those who act responsibly but sadly environmental crime is widespread.

“It is a scourge on streets and roads throughout Scotland and there needs to be a cultural change that makes littering and fly-tipping unacceptable. The Council is trying to lead change locally, but we need the support of our communities, this must be a partnership.”