On the face of it, the Conservatives would expect to once again dominate Ayr West as they have done since the ward was created in 2007.
Ayr West returned three Conservatives in 2017 and the party has only dipped below 50 per cent of the first preference votes once, in 2012, when it fielded two rather than three candidates.
With the Tories in opposition and many of the most contentious issues in South Ayrshire arising in the ward, voters could be expected to deliver a thumbs down to the SNP and Labour administration.
