South Ayrshire Council County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Education Services County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Community Services ( Social Work) Holmston House, Holmston Road, Ayr KA7 3BA.Tel 01292-262111 Fax 01292-264132

Housing Riverside House, 21 River Terrace, Ayr.Tel 01292-611444 Fax 01292-288546

Finance Offices County Buildings, WellingtonSquare, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Economic Development County Buildings, WellingtonSquare, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Leisure and Recreation County Buildings, Wellingto nSquare, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Environmental Health County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Consumer Protection Riverside House, 21 River Terrace, Ayr.Tel 01292-611444 Fax 01292-288546

Roads / Lighting 15 Links Road, Prestwick.Tel 01292 284988 Fax 01292-671455

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages 43 Sandgate, Ayr. Tel 01292-284988

Cleansing Walker Road, Ayr.Tel 01292-262472 Fax 01292-260060

Local Planning County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Licensing County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1DR.Tel 01292-612000 Fax 01292-612143

Central Library 12 Main Street, Ayr.Tel 01292 286385 Fax 01292 260060

EMERGENCY Housing 01292 611116Social Work 0141 357 3696

``PRECIOUS few people in Scotland wanted local government reform,'' says Ian Welsh, leader of South Ayrshire's new unitary council. An assistant head teacher at Auchinleck Academy and a district councillor, he saw only too well the downside of what was proposed. ``When we learned it was a reality, many folk argued that the best choice would be a new all-Ayrshire Council, but it was not to be. Now Ayrshire will have three councils - South, North and East.''

South Ayrshire woke up on the day after last year's election with its former Tory flagship council transformed into a 21-4 Labour landslide. Its first job was to select its chief executive, George Thorley, an assistant chief executive with the outgoing Strathclyde Region and a man with definite ideas on organising local government.

``We have the chance to set up a modern structure that faces the future with confidence,'' says Thorley. ``Seven new service departments will replace the previous 27. Passing the buck and territorialism among departments will be outlawed.''

Welsh points out that new child-care places have already been created by redeploying existing resources; that community councils' budgets are being doubled; that a #100,000 package for community empowerment is being worked on - ``all without closing schools or homes for the elderly, or imposing redundancies.

``These aims reflect our key values: Help for those who need it most, commitment to quality public services, pride in community, service to others, lifelong education and partnership.''

The council has completed a successful series of public consultation meetings and found people ``genuinely worried about cuts to services, while charges still go up''. But, says Councillor Welsh, ``there have been positive reactions to the council's determination to manage South Ayrshire through difficult times. We're delighted at the support for our development of community forums, as opening up conversations with communities is central to the kind of council we will be.''