Labour faces a No Confidence motion at a special meeting of Bristol City Council early next month.

The Conservatives – the smallest of the three main party groups on the council – called for a vote on Labour's hold on power following the lengthy row over school closures.

The big debate – which will be webcast on this site – was fixed for Tuesday, February 10, at 2pm at the Council House, on College Green.

The Conservative motion will say: "Council has no confidence in this Labour administration and, as a consequence, resolves to remove the leader of council, Councillor Helen Holland, from office."

But the largest group on the hung council – the 32 Liberal Democrats – seem unlikely to give Tory leader Richard Eddy their backing.

Group leader Barbara Janke accused the 13-strong Conservative group of political game playing.

She said: "Such a vote on an educational issue would send completely the wrong message to Government and most importantly to our own citizens."

St Pius X Catholic Primary, in Withywood, and Stockwood Green Primary lost their fight for survival with a final decision to close them agreed by the cabinet on Monday.

But St George's Church of England Primary on Brandon Hill was granted a stay of execution.

Councillor Eddy had earlier warned education chief Councillor Peter Hammond and his cabinet colleagues that their control of the council would be at risk unless they granted a reprieve to all three schools.

After the decision he said: "Labour's determination to press ahead regardless demonstrates that they have abandoned their pledge to work in a collaborative way, as Helen Holland promised when she took over the reins of power two years ago.

"Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have strongly opposed Labour's brutal primary school closures, blind support for a mass-burn incinerator at Avonmouth and heartless plans to shut more residential care homes.

"Enough is enough. We will shortly find out whether the Lib Dems have the courage of their claimed convictions and join with us in bringing an end to Labour misrule in Bristol."

But Mrs Janke said: "We welcome the fact that work has been done on our suggestions for moving forward (on schools).

"We all want to get the best possible deal for the city and education is our number one priority. We will not therefore back Bristol's Tory group."

She said it was a time of change and, with the council's children's services currently led by an interim director, it was important to assure parents and teachers that councillors were working "for the good of the children".

She also said the No Confidence motion was poorly timed to ensure the council's bid for £12 million of Government funding to improve primary schools was successful.

"This is hugely damaging at a time when the Government is deliberating whether to give the council this money," she said.

Council leader Helen Holland said: "Since May 2007 the council under Labour has made real progress making a difference with the services we provide to residents, the community and business.

"Significant investment in schools, the development of the South Bristol hospital and improved care for the elderly are just some of the things that have been delivered.

"Under Labour, Bristol has a much improved reputation with Government, business and the voluntary and community sector, something privately that many councillors – including some Conservatives – recognise and which they now put at risk by childish political posturing.

"Now is the time to work together for Bristol, to buckle down and continue delivering improved services for council taxpayers and not indulge in political one-upmanship."