South Ayrshire Council's SNP group has been left stunned after their leader William Grant quit the party on Monday.

And they hit out at news that he was likely to join the Conservative-run administration as an independent, saying Cllr Grant would be ‘propping up a Tory administration’ by taking up an offer to become education portfolio holder.

And the Tories aren't immune from the turbulent times at the local authority - with the education role only becoming available after Conservative councillor Stephen Ferry quit both the position and the party.

While Cllr Grant refused to comment directly about the administration offer, council leader Martin Dowey confirmed he had agreed the move – a position Cllr Grant held when the SNP was in power before the 2022 council elections.

At the same time, Cllr Dowey confirmed that Cllr Ferry, had quit the Tories.

An SNP source said that the group had been left stunned and had no previous inkling that Cllr Grant was to resign, let alone jump ship.

They added that some felt that the loss of a portfolio he loved had been tough for Cllr Grant, and that he had simply "chosen the portfolio over the party’.

A spokesperson for the SNP group in South Ayrshire said: “After being re-elected SNP group Leader and proudly campaigning for the party in the General Election, it is surprising and disappointing to see William choosing to prop up a Tory administration – a party scrambling about for leaders in Holyrood and Westminster after being kicked out of government following years of chaos and incompetence.

“While we wish Cllr Grant well in his new role, the SNP will continue to stand up for local families and services in South Ayrshire as a strong and effective opposition to the Tory administration.”

Cllr Grant, who has represented the Maybole, North Carrick and Coylton ward since 2012, said he remained "supportive of a strong Scotland" but that he had "grown apart from the SNP" and decided to resign.

He wouldn’t be pressed on claims about an administration role, simply stating that any changes to positions within the administration would be decided by councillors at a future full council meeting.

Cllr Dowey, the authority's Conservative leader, claimed that he only approached Cllr Grant when he heard he was resigning from the SNP – and following Cllr Ferry’s resignation from both the position and the Conservative party.

He said: “My current portfolio holder has resigned from being portfolio holder and from the Conservative group, and I have asked William to be education  portfolio holder. ”

Cllr Dowey said that his offer had been accepted, subject to the approval of the full council at its next meeting on August 19.

He added: “Stephen did a good job and when William became available, it was a no brainer for me.

"He is vastly experienced and he is now independent. While we couldn’t work in a leadership role with the SNP we worked well behind the scenes.”

Cllr Grant was only elected leader of the SNP group a year ago, following the retirement of Peter Henderson.

The SNP group's depute leader, Julie Dettbarn, will take over the interim leadership ahead of an election.

In the two years since the last local election there have been several changes to the political makeup of South Ayrshire Council.

Conservative Alan Lamont won a by election in Girvan after Cllr Henderson, who was the leader of the authority's SNP minority administration until the 2022 election, and remained SNP group leader afterwards, retired in June 2023.

SNP councillor Chris Cullen (Ayr East) left to join Alba, while his party colleague Mark Dixon (Ayr North) jumped ship to join the Scottish Greens, though Cllr Dixon is listed as an independent on the local authority's website.

Councillor Grant's decision to become an independent leaves the SNP group with just five members - Craig Mackay (Troon), Ian Cochrane (Prestwick), Laura Brennan-Whitefield (Ayr North), George Weir (Ayr West), and Julie Dettbarn (Kyle).

The authority's Labour group also has only five members - Philip Saxton (Troon), Cameron Ramsay (Prestwick), Ian Cavana (Labour), Brian McGinley (Ayr East), and group leader Duncan Townson (Kyle).