Councillor Maureen McKay

Councillor Maureen McKay, a Labour Party Member, was elected to East Ayrshire Council in May 2003 to represent Dunlop and Stewarton East, and most recently represented Ward 2, Kilmarnock North. She was a very active elected member and chaired the Northern Area Planning Committee from 2003 until 2007. Councillor McKay became Leader of the Labour Group in 2009 until 2017, and from 2022 until the present day.

In addition to being Leader of the Labour Group, she was a board member of the Shadow Integration Board until March 2015 and the Integration Joint Board in April 2015. Councillor McKay also held a number of external positions including Council Representative on the Robert Crawford Bequest, Friends of Hollybush, Kilmarnock Town Centre Regeneration Group and Make it Kilmarnock; as well as the Community Engagement Board at Kilmarnock Football Club.

Prior to becoming a full time politician in 2009, Councillor McKay worked across statutory, voluntary and private sectors in the fields of health, education, human rights law and economic and social regeneration.

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 said: "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."

Provost Claire Leitch said: "Councillor McKay was passionate about working for the people of East Ayrshire and, the rights of women and girls, and she was a proud member of the Scottish Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation. Maureen was highly respected within her community and throughout the UK, which is testament to her commitment to public service throughout her life."

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