There are not enough pupils to fill all the schools in the borough

The report says the Wrexham local authority area has more than a quarter of its primary school places left unfilled.

Councillors recommended a review of school provision which would take up to 10 years to complete.

On Tuesday, neighbouring Denbighshire council said it would consult parents over the restructuring of its schools.

Members of Wrexham's Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee looked at recommendations by a special group set up to develop a strategy for the removal of surplus places and agree a small schools policy.

The latest figures show more than 20% of the authority's capacity is not being used. The Welsh Assembly Government recommends this should be cut to 10% within 10 years.

Inadequate buildings

No specific school are identified in the report.

But it says the issue "appears to be affecting the smaller schools in the authority most seriously".

Of the 16 schools with 90 or fewer pupils, just 10 satisfy criteria set down by the assembly government.

The report, which now passes to the council's executive board, makes clear that the authority does not have enough money to "replace, remodel or improve all inadequate school buildings".

And it recommends that the current level of over capacity is steadily reduced.

Councillor Jim Kelly, the committee's co-chair, said: "A review will be taken of all schools within the county borough within a year. We will then look at reducing school numbers over five years and then 10 years."

Parents have voiced opposition to closures in neighbouring Denbighshire

In April, the Welsh Local Government Association announced it would review its small schools and surplus pupil places policy as authorities across the country grapple with the problem of a decline in the number of children together with old, high-cost buildings.

Moves by other Welsh authorities to modernise their education provision have met with fierce opposition from parents.

Carmarthenshire Council's publication of its �110m modernisation plan, which could lead to the closure of up to 40 primary schools, was met with outrage by some parents.

And Denbighshire Council abandoned plans to shut 14 schools several months ago following a series of protests.

But following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, it has agreed to set up a new consultation exercise on the future of the county's schools.