The leader of the SNP opposition group on South Ayrshire Council has accused the authority's ruling administration of relying too much on officers to "tell them what to do" on the council's budget.

Councillor Peter Henderson said that the Conservative-independent administration had failed to give satisfactory details on many of the proposals in its first budget - claiming that they "deflected questions" when asked about specific items, and chose to refer questions to officers.

He also questioned the Conservative group's finance spokesperson, Councillor Ian Davis, over his repeated insistence that officers would monitor services facing reductions and would take action if necessary.

Cllr Henderson said: “There is quite clearly no vision shown. Everything relies on somebody else to tell them what to do.”

He highlighted a £300,000 cut to the council's Thriving Communities budget as a ‘horrendous’ example.

The administration has argued that the saving is a result of targeting improvements while maintaining service levels, but Cllr Henderson insisted the cut would hit "one part of local government that is actually working".

Cllr Henderson added that he didn’t understand why the administration cut £50,000 for apprenticeships and made teachers who voluntarily supervise pupils at lunchtime pay for their meal.

He said: “At a time when industrial relations with teachers are strained, I don’t think that was very advisable.”

The Girvan and South Carrick representative also said he was unconvinced by the Conservatives’ stand on compulsory redundancies.

He said: “Despite being asked three times, they would not commit to [no compulsory redundancies]. I think that is important.”

Council leader, Martin Dowey, did state there was "no appetite" for redundancies.

However, he did suggest that any request to change that position would require to go to council for approval.

Cllr Henderson also criticised the refurbishment of the Citadel leisure centre at the cost of £10 million over four years, saying the cost for full overhaul was between £23m and £28m and would be higher now.

He also hit out at the system that allowed the Provost’s casting vote to give the administration victory in this and other important votes.

While acknowledging the casting vote was technically allowed, he suggested that it had become and ‘ethical and moral’ issue.