A MOVE to halt plans to close the only Roman Catholic school in Milngavie has failed

after councillors voted against it.

SNP group leader on East Dunbartonshire council Ian Mackay put forward a motion to suspend work on the controversial plans to merge

St Joseph's primary with St Andrew's in Bearsden.

He asked a full council meeting to suspend work until the Equalities and Human Rights Commission was able to report on a "case for support" bid it received from parents fighting the closure.

But members voted against his motion by 13 votes to eight at a meeting in Kirkintilloch.

The proposals are facing strong opposition from parents and members of the community in Milngavie, who have accused the council of having "walked away from its responsibilities" to RC families.

They launched plans last month to set up a

government-funded community school in Milngavie and group leaders met the First Minister to discuss their plans.

Mr Mackay's motion asked the council to "agree, in the light of recent and new developments, to suspend all work on the closure of St

Joseph's and St Andrew's primary schools and the merger into a new primary school in Bearsden."

He told the meeting that the school had been "indirectly discriminated against" and asked for a free vote to be given to councillor. He said: "We face St Joseph's leaving the education system.

"If there was a genuine free vote here, this closure would not take place."

Council leader Rhondda Geekie said: "We will continue to work with parents and pupils from both St Andrew's and St Joseph's primary schools to build a brand new denominational school that will help to deliver an excellent standard of primary education for Bearsden and Milngavie,"

Mr Mackay said the closure of the school and the impact on the community was wrong.He vowed to try and save the school.

The council wants to merge the schools to bring together two communities - providing "an excellent learning environment for pupils." It says St Joseph's is under-occupied, with 45 per cent of places filled.