Bully-boys delay vote

An “orchestrated campaign of harassment” forced councillors to delay the controversial decision on which Paisley secondary schools were to close.

Strathclyde regional councillors said they had received hundreds of lastminute abusive telephone calls from angry parents battling to save their children’s schools.

But Gleniffer councillor John McDowell revealed the two schools facing the axe were Stanely Green and John Neilson, we told in April 1983.

And he said:“The decision to close these two schools had been taken by Dr Malcolm Green, chairman of Strathclyde’s education committee. That is where the pressure is coming from.”

Councillor McDowell was speaking minutes after the committee supported a call for a“cooling off period”proposed by Bargarron Labour councillor James Cannell.

“I received 23 phone calls on the eve of this meeting,”he said.

“Several of them were abusive and the last one was just before midnight.

“I was disturbed by some of the accusations made and the attitude of the individuals concerned.”

The news about Stanely Green was greeted with dismay by the school’s headmaster Hugh Nisbett.

“I would obviously be very disappointed if the school was to go because it is a very valuable asset to the community.

“But I am glad there is going to be some time for reflection before the next education committee meeting as this is the first time the option to close Stanely Green and John Neilson has come up.”