Trade unions are being asked to suspend any plans for strike action by council workers in Ayrshire after local government leaders tabled a new pay offer.

Cosla, which represents Scotland's 32 local authorities, is now proposing a 3.2 per cent wage hike, backdated to April.

The local government body called the new offer "strong, fair and credible" offer.

Members of the Unite union have already backed strike action in all three Ayrshire council areas, while members of UNISON and the GMB have voted in favour of industrial action in East Ayrshire only.

The revised deal is slightly higher than the Scottish Government's public sector pay policy, which proposes a rise of three per cent for 2024-25 - with Cosla stressing it is at the "absolute limit of affordability for councils, given the severe financial constraints local government is facing".

Cosla resources spokeswoman Katie Hagmann urged unions to put the offer to their members and suspend any strike action while they consider it.

Speaking on Wednesday, Colette Hunter, chairwoman of Unison Scotland's local government committee, warned "large parts of Scotland are weeks away from bins not being collected and rubbish piling up in the streets".

Less than 24 hours later, Cosla announced the revised pay offer, with Ms Hagmann saying this came after "ongoing and constructive engagement" with the unions.

Ms Hagmann said: "This is for a 3.2 per cent pay uplift at all pay points, for a one-year period of April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

"After listening to our trade union colleagues, the offer does not propose a change in the pay settlement date, which featured in our earlier offer.

"It is important to stress that this revised, fair offer is at the absolute limit of affordability for councils, given the severe financial constraints local government is facing.

Graham McNab of Unite confirmed the union had received the new formal pay offer, saying: "It is welcome that Cosla has finally ditched the unacceptable proposal to change the pay anniversary date from April to October."

He added: "We are clear that the present situation, whereby Unite has a strike mandate across 16 councils in waste and cleansing services, would not have developed if Cosla had properly and seriously engaged with the trade unions at a far earlier stage.

"Whether the new offer is judged to be a significant improvement will be considered by our local government representatives this coming Monday, July 22 at an emergency meeting in Glasgow."