Councillors have revealed how they received death threats after objecting to an Orange march in the past, a council meeting heard. 

The revelation comes as West Dunbartonshire Council launches a new bid to tackle bigotry in its communities. 

Councillor Douglas McAllister and council leader Jonathan McColl described how police warned them of the threat after they opposed plans for a walk in Dumbarton. 

The incident emerged during a council meeting when politicians discussed how to tackle anti-Irish racism last week.

READ MORE: People in power in Scotland too scared to stop sectarian marches, West Dunbartonshire councillor claims

Councillor McAllister told the meeting how he was “brave enough” to move a motion at a licensing committee to not allow the Grand Black Chapter to march in the local authority 

The bid was initially successful and the march was not granted the go-ahead.

But a sheriff overturned the decision shortly after.

Councillor McAllister, a former provost of the area and a Labour councillor for the Kilpatrick ward, said: “Within three days, the decision was overturned to allow them to march in our streets when the decision was taken to a sheriff.

“As a result I received a phone call from the chief of police to say quite serious death threats had been issued against my name because I had chosen to stand up against this sectarianism in our community.”

Councillor McColl said he also got the sinister message after seconding the motion to stop the procession more than a decade ago.

Recalling the incident, Councillor McColl said: “Following that meeting in August 2009 I had a similar phone call from the police about death threats.”

Councillor McAllister said the incident demonstrated that local authorities don’t have the power to stop processions. He said the power lies with the Scottish Government.

At a previous meeting the councillors approved a motion to write to the Scottish Government calling for anti-Catholic and anti-Irish discrimination to be tackled.

The motion from Councillor Karen Conaghan, SNP, also asked for a paper on law and practice in relation to marches and education to address sectarianism and racism in school.

Labour councillor Douglas McAllister moved a motion for the paper to be continued and for the council to consider the response from the Scottish Government to its letter at a later meeting.

It was seconded by Councillor Karen Conaghan and backed by colleagues.

Meanwhile, police in Clydebank are hunting for the sectarian yobs who daubed offensive graffiti on buildings and walls around the town at the weekend.

READ MORE: Police alerted after sectarian graffiti seen in Clydebank on day of Rangers v Celtic match

The vandalism was reported by several members of the public on Sunday – the day of the first Rangers-Celtic football match of the season.

Kilpatrick area councillor Lawrence O’Neill took to social media to report one instance of offensive slogans being painted on the wall of a building in Hawthorn Street, near the junction of Duntocher Road.

Later that day, social media users replied saying they had seen similar offensive slogans on Scott Street, First Terrace, Milton Mains Road and on an electricity building in Parkhall.

A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “This is a criminal matter now being investigated by police.

“In the meantime we have made arrangements for the graffiti to be removed.”