Civic hospitality and civic reception

Civic hospitality

The Provost's Office provides support to the Provost, Depute Provost and councillors who are representatives of the council. The staff co-ordinate the organisation of civic hospitality functions, including dealing with applications for civic receptions received from community, businesses and other local organisations.

Civic Receptions are hosted by the Provost of South Ayrshire to recognise, honour and pay tribute to achievements, persons and events appropriate to the council and the community. These can be large scale events or modest depending on the occasion.

Civic receptions are funded by the council through a specific budget allocated to the Office of the Provost. The council will try to ensure that receptions are appropriate for the occasion being celebrated and will reflect well on the participants, bearing in mind the need to achieve best value for money at all times. Civic receptions are normally held within one of the Council's civic suites, either in the County Buildings or elsewhere.

The council will be aware of many special occasions, but from time to time local groups, organisations and others will contact the council to suggest occasions which might be honoured.

Criteria for Civic Recognition and Hospitality Requests

There are broadly six types of civic events:

• To recognise, honour, or pay tribute for, outstanding achievement
• To acknowledge the importance of events that will make a major contribution to the local community
• To promote new initiatives and prestigious events
• To honour visits to South Ayrshire by appropriate individuals, groups or organisations
• To mark significant local events and anniversaries
• To mark civic/ceremonial events organised by the council

More details can be found in the  Civic recognition hospitality guidelines (PDF) [202KB] .

If you wish to request a civic reception

Please complete the form no later than 3 months prior to the event.

Request civic recognition

Should you require further information please telephone 01292 616685.

The Provost's Office will work with you and your organisation to ensure that everything goes well with the event. Although many of these events are informal and friendly occasions, there are from time to time special protocols to be observed, and we will be happy to advise on any aspect of protocol which might affect civic receptions.

To enable the council to anticipate projected expenditure from a limited annual budget in future financial years, any organisation seeking civic hospitality for special anniversaries should submit an outline request, where possible, before the end of April. Later applications will still be considered, budget dependant.

The Provost's Office is also responsible for arranging public civic events such as the Kirkin' of the Council, Armed Forces Day, Freedom Ceremonies and the council's observance of Remembrance Sunday.