The election was the first since the Second Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements which was initially meant to decide boundaries for the district and regional councils.

(Scotland) Act 1994, the review was instead used to decide boundaries for the newly created unitary authority.

As a result, there remained 10 seats covering the former Cumnock and Doon Valley District and 20 seats were established for the former Kilmarnock and Loudoun District, two more than had been in use since the Initial Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements in 1981.

[1][2] Labour took control of the council after winning 22 of the 30 seats.

The other eight seats were won by the Scottish National Party (SNP).