South Ayrshire Council’s Chief Executive Tom Cairns has been appointed a Director of the Burns an’ a’ That Festival Management Company.

He takes over as the Council’s representative on the board of the company which manages the highly successful festival from the Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Gibson T. Macdonald who has stepped down in advance of preparations for next year’s Local Government elections.

The new appointment, decided at a full Council meeting, ensures a developing link between the Festival and the Homecoming Scotland Project of which Tom Cairns is a member of the advisory Board.

The Burns an’ a’ That Festival is expected to play an important role in the build up to, and during, Homecoming Scotland, which is aimed at attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, by showcasing Scotland - and Ayrshire in particular - as a must visit, must return destination throughout 2009, the 250th anniversary of the National Bard’s birth.

Following the Council’s decision to appoint him to the Burns an’ a’ That Festival Management Board, Tom Cairns said: “I am delighted to have been appointed and look forward to working with fellow directors to plan for the continued future success of the festival.

“Obviously, there is likely to be an increasing association between the Festival and the wider implications of the ‘Homecoming’ and clearly there should be practical benefits to be obtained by my having responsibilities within each initiative.”

Commenting on his stepping down as a Director of the Burns and a’ That Festival Management Company, Councillor Gibson T. Macdonald, explained:

“The reason is very straight-forward. The Festival is traditionally held in May, with a wide range of preparations being undertaken during the preceding months. As the Council’s representative on the Management Company, and as Chair, obviously the time commitment that I face would increase as the Festival approaches. I fully expect to be highly active in the run-up to the 2007 Local Government elections which take place on May 3.

“The timing for my resignation is to allow the Council’s replacement Director on the Management Company to be fully involved in the preparations for next year’s Festival. Hopefully, by having the change-over at this time, it will ensure a seamless transition.”

Councillor Macdonald added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed being a Director of the Festival Management Company, and have been privileged to be a part of a highly successful event that has grown in size and importance since it was first held. Next year’s event is the seventh festival, and preparatory work is already well under way, and so it was important to have my successor appointed at this time.

“I am sure our Chief Executive will prove to be eminently suitable as the Council’s representative, especially because of his existing involvement with the ‘Homecoming’ initiative.”

October 2006