Councillors in Monmouthshire have issued a legal warning to the county council over concerns that it has agreed to a 30-year lease for an historic library for use as a mosque at around a quarter of market value.
The controversy centres around Carnegie Library in Abergavenny, which is a grade II listed building constructed in 1905.
The Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association (MMCA) applied to use the building as a mosque, however locals are concerned that the council has awarded the lease for well below its market value and did not give sufficient opportunity for other bids to be put forward.
Councillors Louise Brown, Simon Howarth, and Rachel Buckler, and local resident John Hardwick have sent a pre-action letter to the council, warning that they will seek a judicial review if the council does not withdraw the lease and begin a new, more transparent tender process.
The action is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre.
Critics of the lease allege that it was marketed for less then a month during the Christmas period, and that MMCA will be charged just £6,000 in rent per year, despite internal council estimates suggesting the rent should be £20,000-£25,000 per year.
Should the lease proceed, this will be the first mosque in Monmouthshire. Concerns have also been raised that a new mosque could have a significant impact on local infrastructure and parking.
Cllr Rachel Buckler said, “This is a building given to all the people of Abergavenny. Residents are extremely upset they were not consulted and only found out after the lease was awarded. That is not good enough for a building of this importance.”
Cllr Simon Howarth added, “This decision never appeared on the forward planner. That undermines scrutiny and the democratic process. The constitution needs to change so this cannot happen again.”
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said, “This case raises serious questions about transparency, fairness, and the proper use of public assets.
"The people of Abergavenny deserve to be heard, and their concerns must not be brushed aside.
"We will stand with these councillors as they urge the council to be democratically accountability and to abide by the rule of law.”
A spokesman for Monmouthshire county council said: “Monmouthshire county council confirms that it has received a pre-action protocol letter and will respond in due course.
“The Council cannot provide further comment in relation to an ongoing legal matter.”
