A branch of the Royal British Legion are set to move into a former library, after the council agreed measures to buy the charity’s current home.

Legion members currently based in Rectory Road will rent out Rectory Library further up the street through a 10-year lease, after cabinet members voted to acquire the charity’s current site for residential purposes on Wednesday last week.

The council already own the adjacent car park – leased to the charity through a 999-year agreement – but both transactions are subject to a market valuation and agreement with the borough’s planning team.

The library, which has been vacant for a number of years, had already been offered to the Territorial Army (TA) who were granted a lease by cabinet in June 2013, although the plans to establish a unit in the borough never materialised.

Young people’s educational group Leaping Toads, who currently use the former library are developing another base close to Valence Library, in Becontree Avenue.

“This is a good news story,” said cabinet member for finance Cllr Dominic Twomey.

“It’s an opportunity not just to help out a local community organisation but also to acquire some land ourselves.”