The announcement of levelling up funding has been a mixed bag for Ayrshire.

The UK government today announced that East and North Ayrshire would see £44m in investments, but South Ayrshire has missed out entirely.

South Ayrshire Council missed out with its single bid as the previous administration had sought £20m funding for a new Ayr Leisure Centre.

The bid continued under the current Conservative administration, despite the cancellation of the new centre, as the bid was not tied to that specific project.

But the failure of the bid means that the question of funding for both the refurbishment of the Citadel Leisure Centre and town centre regeneration is more complicated.

Elsewhere, Kilmarnock’s ‘cultural quarter’ will see a massive £20m boost from the Levelling Up Fund, but a separate £20m bid to improve the vital Bellfield Interchange was not successful.

Read More: Aldo's Ayr: Chippy gets ready for Easter with Deep Fried Creme Egg

East Ayrshire Council had the option to submit a single larger scale bid, but opted to submit the two smaller bids.

North Ayrshire will receive £24m to improve the B714 in North Ayrshire north of the Sharphill roundabout and connect to the A737  Dalry Bypass.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “A total of 111 areas have been awarded funding from the second of the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund, providing greater investment in communities that will create new jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live, and spread opportunity more equally.”

The government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.

South Ayrshire Council has been approached for comment.