Darlaston Town Hall leased out for £1 a year as charity pledges £250,000 investment

Walsall Council bosses are poised to approve a 25-year lease to see Darlaston Town Hall handed over to the Murray Hall Community Trust at a 'peppercorn rent'.

Proposals put forward by the Sandwell-based trust includes plans for the development of a community centre at the site, which dates back to 1888.

Darlaston Boxing Club holds weekly sessions there, while two weekly leisure groups and a dance and social club also use the 300-capacity site.

Those groups will get to stay and plans mooted by the trust include bringing in similar clubs, as well as a cinema club, job clubs, training sessions for volunteers and even potentially the creation of a local history museum on the site.

Paul Gordon, head of business change at the council, said: "Murray Hall Community Trust will invest £250,000 aimed at improving the facilities and development of a wide range of activities for the benefit of the local community.

"The trust aims to make optimum use of the facilities to enrich the lives of local residents.

"The trust's desire is to work closely with the 'third sector' and will directly involve the wider community in the running of the town hall."

Tony Marshall, who runs Darlaston Boxing Club, said: "I think this will be good for the community and for the clubs who use the site, it is welcome investment."

The site is currently run by the council but the authority has been looking for a voluntary or community sector organisation to take over its management for some time.

The Trust is also involved in supporting The Well food bank and the Working Together scheme, which helps people over 18 find training and job opportunities. Doug James, councillor for the town, said: "It is a long time coming, it has been awful to see it neglected for so long."

The council estimates that were it to be put on the market, the town hall would bring in £20,000 per year in rent, meaning they are foregoing a potential £5 million in rent over the lease period that is being offered to Murray Hall Community Trust. Councillor James added: "At the moment, I am surprised that anyone is happy to take on the site considering its condition, I think this is the best way forward."

The building boasts a hall with a stage, organ, PA system, bar, kitchen and two small meeting rooms. A £500,000 facelift for the site, mooted back in 2012, failed to materialise after a feasibility study was carried out.