Parades in Glasgow by Protestant Loyal Orders could be cut by as much as 90%, under plans being discussed by the city council.

It comes after it was revealed that the bill to police three marches came to almost £1million.

There are currently more than 250 a year in the city, and under the proposal the number could be reduced to 20.

The proposals would also see the largest of Scotland's Loyal Order parades being diverted away from the city centre. The event would instead be held in an outlying park, and going to another park on the outskirts of the city.

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RESOURCES

Video interview with Cllr Jim Coleman, Glasgow City Council

Video interview with Ian Wilson, Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland

Row brewing over Orange Order walks bill (news report from 2008)

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Deputy leader of Glasgow City Council councillor Jim Coleman said: "The council believes that they have reached the position in Glasgow where there are far too many parades going through certainly the city centre, which is a big issue. but in general we feel there are too many, there is a cost on the council, and now we find it is a big cost on policing.

"We find there are more and more complaints from members of the public, in particular the business community, because Glasgow as you know is the second biggest retail centre in the UK and they feel their business is disrupted when some parades come through the city centre - they lose a lot of money and we know that there are thousands of jobs involved so there is an economic point of view here."

Ian Wilson, Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said: "Our first reaction is surprise and dismay, to be honest. For Councillor Coleman to go directly to the media  ad to wield a big stick this early in the game I just find a bit amazing.

"We did seek a meeting a year ago, to set up a working party between ourselves the council and the police for all the issues affecting parades and I'm afraid he blew cold on it a year ago, so I'm a wee bit surprised that he's dealing with it in this way which kind of suggests we are going to be unreasonable, that we are not going to speak to him, but in actual fact the opposite is the case."