Three councillors have joined forces with a local resident to threaten legal action after a historic library was handed over to be used as a mosque.

In June, the Labour-led cabinet at Monmouthshire County Council greenlit a 30-year lease for the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association (MMCA) to convert the vacant Abergavenny Library into a Islamic place of worship.

But councillors Rachel Buckler, Simon Howarth and Loise Brown have joined forces with resident John Hardwick to bring forward a legal challenge against the decision.

After making the decision to approve the lease, Councillor Ben Callard, who in 2023 said he was "conflicted" a school in the town being named after King Henry VIII, said: "I think it was the correct one and Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association will be good tenants for this property."

Monmouthshire County Council has greenlit a 30-year lease for the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association (MMCA) to convert the vacant Abergavenny Library into a mosque

Monmouthshire County Council confirmed it has since received a legal pre-action letter.

The Christian Legal Centre is also supporting the challenge after the four reached out to the Christian Concern non-profit organisation.

In the pre-action letter, the quartet raised concerns surrounding "religious impartiality", which was not brought up during a call-in review held earlier this year.

During the meeting, Conservative group leader Richard John claimed taxpayers' cash would be used to subsidise the mosque's £6,000 per year rent.

Monmouthshire County Council confirmed it has since received a legal pre-action letter

However, Cllr Callard affirmed that the taxpayer would not be subsiding the mosque, adding the empty library was put out for competitive tender and the highest submission was made by the MMCA.

He also noted the lease is on a "full repair" basis which will ensure the tenants will be responsible for all maintenance with the building having "significant liabilities".

Cllr Callard added that it was the Monmouthshire County Council cabinet's "ambition" to provide a place of worship for the local Muslim population.

The seven-strong cabinet unanimously confirmed their support for MMCA to be awarded the lease.

Cllr Callard added that it was the Monmouthshire County Council cabinet's 'ambition' to provide a place of worship for the local Muslim population (file photo)

The chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, Andrea Williams, said the decision "raises serious questions about transparency, fairness, and the proper use of public assets".

Ms Buckler told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she was unhappy with how the meeting unfolded, with a chunk being held in a confidential session.

She added that it "makes sense to collaborate with" the Christian Legal Centre, hailing them as a "very good organisation".

The Tory councillor said the "whole point is no organisation should be treated with any more favour than any other.

"It is not about a Christian agenda it's about the fact a lease was awarded, as far as we can see, for a peppercorn rent for 30 years for an incredibly important civic building that was given to the people by the Carnegie Trust in 1905."

Labour member of Abergavenny Town Council Reverend Gareth Wilde, said it was "surprising" to see a Christian advocacy group throwing their support behind the challenge.

Cllr Wilde, a retired Baptist minister, said: "It seems more like a governance or spending issue.

"It does seem a little bit muddled."

The town council member added that "priority" for the building's lease should be handed to the MMCA as there was no mosque currently operating in Abergavenny.