SCHOOL places across two Southampton communities are to undergo a shake-up as education bosses try to solve the problem of the city's falling birth rates.

Southampton City Council's member for education Councillor Calvin Horner yesterday agreed a six-week consultation begin across Redbridge and Millbrook to look at ways of removing 400 surplus places.

Eight schools are affected. One of the proposals involves the closure of the 115-pupil Mansel Infant and 155-pupil junior schools, which together have 150 spare places (36 per cent).

Other options under public consultation include merging the two schools to create a primary and reducing the number of pupils on roll at Mason Moor Primary, Newlands Primary, Tanners Brook Infant and Tanners Brook Junior schools.

There is also a plan to see Redbridge Primary extended on a new site and for Holy Family Catholic Primary School to maintain its current admission number.

The consultation will start next Monday and finish on April 11 although no dates have yet been set for public meetings for parents, teachers, governors and residents.

Councillor Horner said: "The review will take into consideration a range of criteria - not just reducing rolls but maintaining education standards and linking other community services to the school sites."

He added that the consultation was taking place against a backdrop of "good news" for both Redbridge and Newlands primary schools which had just received £5m of government cash for a rebuilding programme. The government has awarded £2.9 million to rebuild the 340 pupil Newlands Primary School in Ullswater Road, Millbrook, and £2.9m to revamp the 191-pupil Redbridge Primary School.

The council needs to get rid of surplus places because a school's funding depends on the number of pupils it attracts.

Richard Harris, Labour education spokesman, said: "It would be very difficult not to have to contemplate a school closure."

After the consultation a final proposal will be announced by Cllr Horner on May 9. However it will be up to the school organisation committee, made up of representatives from the local education authority, governing bodies and churches, who will make a final decision on July 20.

THE SIX PROPOSALS:

1: Schools stay the same with early years provision taking up surplus space.

2: Mansel Infant and Junior School to be turned into a primary; Redbridge Primaryto be rebuilt, Newlands Primary to be rebuilt and its pupil numbers reduced, Mason Moor to have reduced pupil numbers.

3: Mansel Infant and Junior School to be turned into a primary, Newlands Primary to be rebuilt; Redbridge Primary to be rebuilt; Tanners Brook Infant and Tanners Brook Junior to reduce in size.

4: Mansel Infant and Junior schools to close; Newlands Primary to be rebuilt; Redbridge Primary to be rebuilt.

5: Mansel Infant and Junior school to close; Newlands Primary to be rebuilt; Redbridge Primary to be built and expanded; Tanners Brook Infant and Junior schools to have reduced pupil numbers.

6: An open invitation for schools to set out their own proposals for removing surplus places.