Created in 2022, the ward elects five councillors using the single transferable vote electoral system and covers an area with a population of 20,423 people.
The ward was created following the 2019 Reviews of Electoral Arrangements which were instigated following the implementation of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
The review coincided with the introduction of the Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020 which allowed for the creation of five-member wards.
North Coast was formed from two previous wards, taking in all of the former North Coast and Cumbraes ward and the western half of the former Dalry and West Kilbride ward.
The ward covers the northernmost part of the council area next to its borders with Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and the Firth of Clyde and takes in the towns of Fairlie, Largs, Skelmorlie and West Kilbride as well as the two islands of The Cumbraes.