North Ayrshire Council is calling on all eight-25-year-olds to have their say on where cash is spent in their area as the voting stage of the council’s Young People’s Participatory Budgeting scheme gets underway.

A total of £60k is available to share between projects throughout all of the six North Ayrshire localities – Irvine, Kilwinning, Three Towns, Arran, Garnock Valley and the North Coast – including £10k which will focus on young people’s mental health and well-being.

Voting is open to everyone within the age group who lives in Irvine, Kilwinning, Three Towns and the Garnock Valley, with the vote going live on the Young Scot website at noon on Friday, November 8.

Voting will close on Friday, November 22.

Access to the online voting platform will be through your Young Scot National Entitlement Card – or you can obtain a temporary number to vote by emailing youthpb@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. You can vote at young.scot/NAPB.

There will also be the opportunity to vote in schools and at youth centres.

Applications for grants of up to £1000 have been submitted by individuals, clubs, groups and parent councils, with each project representing at least one of the following themes: Health and Well-being, Poverty and Inequality and Participation and Young People’s Voice.

Audrey Sutton, Interim Executive Director of Communities at North Ayrshire Council, said: “Last year, 56 local clubs and groups benefited through our Young People’s Participatory Budgeting scheme, with almost 6,500 votes cast through the Young Scot website.

“Our young people know better than anyone else which projects will be the most beneficial to them in their local communities, so it is only fair that they have the final say on how this money is spent.”