Tributes have been paid after Kilmarnock councillor Maureen McKay died this morning (Thursday, November 21) after a long illness.
Maureen, who was leader of the Labour group on East Ayrshire Council, served her constituents for almost two decades after first being elected to represent Dunlop and Stewarton East in 2003.
Leader of East Ayrshire Council, Cllr Douglas Reid described her as “an incredible character”, while Cllr Barry Douglas, deputy leader of the Labour group said they had “lost a true friend”.
Most recently, Maureen was a councillor for Kilmarnock North and was a very active elected member and chaired the Northern Area Planning Committee from 2003 until 2007. Cllr McKay became leader of the Labour group in 2009 until 2017 and again from 2022.
She was a board member of the Shadow Integration Board until March 2015 and the Integration Joint Board in April 2015.
Maureen 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, she worked across statutory, voluntary and private sectors in the fields of health, education, human rights law and economic and social regeneration.
A spokesperson for East Ayrshire Council said: “It is with deep regret that East Ayrshire Council announces the death of Councillor Maureen McKay, leader of the Labour opposition group, who passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 21 after a long illness.”
Cllr Douglas said: “We are all devastated by the death of Cllr 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.”
Cllr Reid added: “Everyone at East Ayrshire Council is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Cllr 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: “Cllr 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.”
Maureen is survived by an adult son, Rory and daughter, Emma.
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