The local authority was one of the final few council’s to reveal a No vote just before 6am this morning, as Scotland was coming to the realisation that the country’s immediate future was within the UK.

Sally Loudon, counting officer for Argyll and Bute, confirmed the results at the referendum count in Lochgilphead Joint Campus with 26,324 votes (41.48 per cent) for Yes, and 37,143 (58.52 per cent) for No.

Following the news, Alan Reid, MP for Argyll and Bute, said: “I am very please for jobs at HMNB Clyde. This result means that Faslane has a secure future and more work coming, with extra submarines planned for the site. The future is secure.” Mr Reid added that despite the No vote, the recent campaign should galvanize change within both national and local governments.

He added: “The atmosphere has been very good and there have been no bad feelings at all, which is a good sign. Now, it is important that all parties - no matter what side - work together to bring more powers to the Scottish Parliament.

“It is also important power is not just devolved to Holyrood but there should be more power devolved to a local level as well. Within Scotland there has been too much centralisation within recent years.” Councillor Aileen Morton said she was please Scotland as a whole - and in particular Helensburgh and Lomond - voted No.

She added: “It was great to be outside the poll station and see so many people turn-out - there was such a high turn-out.” Councillor Maurice Corry also praised the ‘brilliant’ high turn-out in Helensburgh and Lomond, as well as Argyll and Bute wide.

Speaking about the result, he added: “It was a very good result which was well deserved. We can now move on and build on that in Argyll and Bute turn-out and Helensburgh and Lomond turnout.

“I would say to the people of Helensburgh and Lomond that we have delivered a fine result, an excellent result and boads well for the future. We now must move on and build on that for the future of Helensburgh and Lomond and its residents.” The total electorate for Argyll and Bute was 72,002 with a turnout at the polls of 88.2 per cent. The total number of votes cast was 63,516.

A total of 49 votes were rejected for a number of reasons. None were rejected due to lack of an official mark, but nine were rejected for voting in favour of both answers; one included writing or a mark by which the voter could be identified, and 39 were unmarked or void for certainty.