A PROPOSAL to relocate Blaenavon’s Cordell Museum to the Workmen’s Hall as part of plans to save money has been agreed in principle by trustees.

Torfaen council is investigating the feasibility of permanently re-locating Blaenavon Library into the World Heritage Centre and to move the Cordell Museum in Blaenavon Workmen’s Hall.

A meeting on the proposal to rehouse the museum was held recently. A Torfaen council spokesman confirmed that the Workmen’s Hall trustee committee and the Cordell museum trustees agreed to progress the proposed move of the Cordell Museum collection into the Workmen’s Hall.

The proposal would see the Cordell Museum provided with the large committee room for their exhibition along with the small committee room and some additional spaces within the hall.

The spokesman added: “It was agreed that the space currently used for snooker, table tennis and other events, along with the cinema and the auditorium on the upper floor are valuable assets to local residents and will be kept for this purpose.”

But a petition has been launched by Blaenavon resident Susan Fiander-Woodhouse calling for the council to stop the proposed move of the library to the Blaenavon World Heritage Centre and of the museum into the hall, which has been supported by 14 people.

The trustee of the Blaenavon Heritage Group, Nathan Matthews, the registered charity that manages the Blaenavon Community Heritage and Cordell Museum, said: “Our committee recognises the considerable financial pressures facing Torfaen County Borough Council and, as a small, volunteer-run charity with a very limited income we are hugely grateful that the local authority has taken steps to safeguard our museum.”

He said that the two groups agreed to an integration that would “integrate the museum within the Workmen’s Hall in a way which allows both organisations to operate effectively, to further develop our services, and to work together for the benefit of the town”.

He outlined that the committee of the Blaenavon Community Heritage Museum views these proposals positively as it would “boost the profile of the museum, build new partnerships, increase physical and intellectual access to the Workmen’s Hall, and celebrate the community heritage of Blaenavon”.

A Torfaen council spokesman confirmed that the relocation of the two sites from the current building on Lion Street is part of wider budget saving proposals, but that “nothing has been finalised”.