A CRISIS in Shropshire schools, brought on by decreasing pupil numbers, is due to be discussed at next Tuesday's meeting of the county council's Cabinet.

Fewer pupils means less money for education.

In 2004-2005 government money for Shropshire education will be down slightly.

In the following years, funding will be down significantly, possibly by as much as £500,000 a year.

The council is making provision to deal with these changes and a consultation report has been prepared.

Up for discussion are plans to amalgamate infant and junior schools; amalgamation of neighbouring primary schools that serve the same or nearby communities and lowering admission numbers in three and four classroom schools to let them operate as two and three classroom schools.

Very small primary schools could be closed when pupil numbers fall below 20, currently the threshold is 30 before a review is undertaken.

Ludlow's county councillor Peter Corston is SCC's cabinet member for lifelong learning said: "To do nothing is not an option.

"We need to make sure we can sustain an overall level of funding for all schools."

"What we will not be doing is looking to close schools.

"The closure of a village school can have such a strong impact on the community it serves that we will be considering lowering the threshold for review to 20.

If the Cabinet agrees the policies recommended in the report, the full council will be asked to adopt them as policy at its meeting on February 27.