DAM Park is to be transferred from council control to save money.

South Ayrshire Council also increased the price of school meals, sports and leisure facilities including golf.

Cuts to beach cleaning, support for pupils with additional needs, music tuition, funding to Ayr' Renaissance, and the ending of free support for local festivals were also approved.

South Ayrshire Council said the decision was made to save £9.4 million from 'non essential' services. 

Councillors agreed what they described as their 'most difficult budget' ever in order to balance the books in light of the harsh finance settlement from the Scottish Government last Thursday, March 3.

Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Bill McIntosh, said: "This brutal financial settlement that I have proposed in the form on the budget should never have existed. 

"It will affect staff, leisure and businesses. This step should not have been necessary to fill the budget gap. There are reserves for necessary proposals to allow projects to remain in the community and will benefit our young people."

Additional support needs from school assistants will be cut by 13 full time posts and the home link service will be lowered by half.

Opening hours at Alloway, Ballantrae, Carnegie, Forehill, Girvan, Maybole, Mossblown, Symington, Tarbolton and Troon Libraries will be reduced. 

Two full time music instruction posts will be cut and Dam Park Stadium will be transferred to an alternative provider but locals will still be able to use the facilities.

Leisure facilities will also be affected by the new budget. Ayr Renaissance will lose £60,000 of funding and ticket prices of a golf season ticket for South Ayrshire will rise by a further 7.5 per cent. 

Other sport and leisure prices will go up by fiver per cent as will the cost of school meals. Civic support will be reduced by £54,000.

Cllr Allan Dorans, said: "No consultation has taken place with the Trade Unions about how they have been mitigated. You have failed to include an agreement with them.

"But it is the public who will be the most affected by the cuts. To say you have had no time to speak to them is wrong. We live to serve the people.

"The administration has failed and are blaming the Scottish Government."

Cllr John Wallace, said: "I find it despicable that the Labour/Conservative government blame the SNP when it already lies at the door of George Osborne.

"We need to remember the slogan 'Ne-er Forget the People' - please don't"

These cuts do not include spending on Health and Social Care which could see cuts rise to £13 million. 

Prestwick locals Julie and Laura Twaddle attended the meeting to see what lies ahead for their town. They said: "We are disappointed. I didn't here Prestwick mentioned once."

Councillors have confirmed that new projects including a new Sacred Heart Primary, Glenburn Primary, Ayr Grammar Primary and Nursery, road reconstruction and a new all-weather pitch at Carrick Academy will still go ahead.