Glasgow's leaders have taken the dramatic step to close 20 primary and nursery schools across the city.

At a special meeting on Thursday, the Labour-led council approved committee recommendations to shut 11 primaries and nine nurseries, devastating local parents who have campaigned against the move. Three other schools were spared from closure.

One primary school, Barmulloch Primary School, will relocate.

The decision was condemned by opposition party members and parents. Campaigners conducted sit-ins, protests and marches over several weeks.

The council said that falling school rolls and the fact that the buildings are in a state of disrepair have led to the closures.

Council leader Steven Purcell said: "Merging some schools in the city is in the best interests of the pupils and the decision has been taken on the strong recommendations of education professionals in Glasgow.

“We are clear it is necessary to get our young people across the city out of schools where buildings are crumbling and pupil numbers are collapsing."

Three schools from an original total of 23 were granted a reprieve. They were identified as Shawbridge Nursery, Nithsdale Road Nursery and Ruchill Primary.

The remaining facilities were to shut:

Sighthill Primary

St Gilbert's Primary

Victoria Primary

Bellahouston Primary

Albert Primary

St Agnes' Primary

St Aloysius' Primary

St Gregory's Primary

Wyndford Primary

St James' Primary

Our Lady of the Assumption Primary

Kinning Park Nursery

Merrylee Nursery Class

Mile End Nursery

Garscube Nursery

Craigielea Nursery

Broompark Day Nursery

Anderston Nursery Class

Queen Mary Street Nursery

Newark Drive Nursery School

Councillor James Dornan, SNP leader of the opposition, said: "This is a sad day for the parents, pupils and campaigners who have worked tirelessly for their communities, if only they had received the support they deserved. I suspect that the people of this city will long remember the decisions made by Labour in Glasgow today."

He added: "Labour cynically manipulated the debate and put their party before their communities. Labour councillors voted 'no' on local issues but 'yes' as a group to close schools in other areas.

"What we saw was a classic case of political cowardice."

The city said some primary schools to shut have occupancy below 50%. After merger, the schools across Glasgow will have an average of 60%-plus occupancy, the council leader said.

Mr Purcell added: "We have had long experience of merging schools across the city and are confident the result provides a new school community that the parents and children feel is as much part of them as their previous school.”

The vote follows a six-week consultation period that triggered more than 8,000 formal responses. More than 40 public meetings were held on the controversial proposals.

Protesters vowed to continue to fight the decision. The Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign said it will launch new protests.

Richie Venton, campaign leader, said: "We will launch a new round of peaceful direct action protest, with unity in the community, starting with a city-wide Hands Around Our Schools protest on Monday at 3pm, declaring that the councillors might vote for closures, but 'we shall not be moved'."