Parents have staged protests against the mergers, which will bring together existing infant and junior sites to create single primary schools.

The authority carried out a public consultation exercise on proposals to merge up to 17 schools in the county.

Bosses at the council said the mergers were necessary to deal with the falling number of children.

Patricia Bradwell, executive councillor for children's services said six schools in Lincoln would merge to form three primaries.

Provoked concern

Two schools will also merge in Louth, along with a further two in Holton-le-Clay.

The council has decided against proposals to combine Lincoln's Manor Leas Junior and Infant Schools with the Bracebridge Infant and Nursery Schools.

The authority will now carry out new consultations on plans to merge Lincoln's St Giles Infant School with the Myle Cross Junior School and Gainsborough's Hillcrest Infant and Nursery School with White's Wood Lane Junior School.

The plans have provoked concern among families who fear children's education will be disrupted and have to travel further.

A spokesperson from the council said they were grateful for all the feedback and suggestions that had been received throughout the consultation process, which started at the beginning of the year.

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.