FINAL proposals are due to be announced today as part of a major overhaul of school places at eight Southampton schools.

The city's Cabinet member for education Councillor Calvin Horner is expected to agree that a six-week consultation begin across Redbridge and Millbrook.

Education bosses want to remove about 400 surplus places because of falling pupil numbers due to declining birth rates.

A similar review has already been carried out in the Bitterne and Townhill Park areas.

Education bosses have proposed six possible options including the closure of the 115 pupil Mansel Infant and 155-pupil Junior schools, which together have 150 spare places (36 per cent).

Other proposals include amalgamating the two schools as well as reducing pupil numbers at Mason Moor Primary, Newlands Primary, Tanners Brook Infant and Tanners Brook Junior schools as well.

One of the plans could see Redbridge Primary extended on a new site.

Although there are no plans to alter the pupil roll number at Holy Family Catholic Primary School any changes could have a knock-on effect to its intake as non-Catholics are accepted there.

The consultation is expected to start next Monday and finish on April 11 with a number of public meetings to be organised for parents, teachers, governors and residents.

A final report will be submitted to Cllr Horner on May 9 who will then decide the final proposal that will be put out to a further six -week consultation.

The school organisation committee, made up of representatives from the local education authority, governing bodies and churches will give the final go-ahead at their meeting on July 20.

If they fail to reach a decision a government appointed school adjudicator will decide the final outcome.

The review comes after the government awarded Southampton local education authority £2.9m to rebuild the 340-pupil Newlands Primary School in Ullswater Road, Millbrook and £2.9m to revamp the 191-pupil Redbridge Primary School.

Falling numbers due to declining pupil birth rates mean less money for schools as their funding depends on the numbers of pupils they attract.