Linton First School, Coulson Park First and Alexandra Middle, all in Ashington, could all close following a meeting of Northumberland County Council's executive on Monday.

A consultation with staff, parents, and governors will now go and if the consultations agree to closure, the schools will shut their doors in August next year.

But the county council strongly condemnation reports that 30 schools across the county would close within three years because of surplus places.

Government targets

The executive member for children's services, Jim Wright, said there was no hit list and no hidden agenda.

The council first commissioned a review of education in September 2001and discovered over 7,000 spare places in schools.

Northumberland County Council has set a target of cutting 4,500 empty places to fall into line with government targets by 2007.

Education chiefs say schools in Berwick are next on their review list.

Linton First School has only 23 pupils, although it has capacity for 40.

Coulson Park First School has 190 pupils in attendance despite having spaces for 240 youngsters. It has a waiting repair bill of £250,000.

Alexandra Middle School has a pupil capacity of 266, with only 204 on roll and a repair bill of £225,000.