The county council's executive decided to put forward the plan for public consultation following a meeting.

Campaigners in Louth, Gainsborough and Lincoln, fear the changes would harm their children's education.

Many of the county's 35 infant and junior schools are expected soon to have thousands of surplus places.

It's wrong, it's disgusting and we thought it would be thrown out Protestor

Councillor Phil Dilks, who opposes the plans, said: "The executive have not listened to the coalition of parents, governors, teachers and churches and their own calling committee, who wanted to scrap the proposals and get on a county-wide strategy to deal with the problem."

Council leader Martin Hill was sure the right decision had been made.

He said: "I must stress that it will be a genuine consultation, we will listen and see the issues on the ground and take a further decision from there."

One protester was shocked at the outcome. "It's wrong, it's disgusting and we thought it would be thrown out.

"We're not going to stop campaigning, no way."

It is estimated that by 2007-8 there will be 2,068 surplus places in the county's 35 separate infant and junior schools, with 1,231 of these in the Lincoln area alone.

In several instances the infant and junior schools share a single site or are situated very close to each other.