THE BOROUGH council set to move their headquarters to the centre of town - with their old building to be transformed into council housing.

Slough Borough Council's cabinet is to be asked on May 29 to approve the purchase of a town centre centre building that will become the new home for the local authority, which is currently based at St Martins Place and Landmark Place. Councillors will also be asked in the same meeting to approve the conversion of St Martins Place into 60 new homes for people on the council housing register.

If the cabinet approves the request, the purchase will take place at some point this summer, with council staff moving in early next year. The location of the building, and the associated costs, have not yet been revealed as negotiations are still underway.

Cllr James Swindlehurst, the leader of the council, said: "It has long been our ambition to have the council headquarters in the town centre, easily accessible for people, where they want and need us to be.This move will be a boost to the area around the High Street, and shows our commitment to regenerating the centre of Slough.

"This move will speed up the internal and external transformation of the council, is linked closely with our regeneration strategy and will make energy and carbon savings. But most of all it will put us in the centre of the town, in the heart of Slough – easily reached, and central to all residents.

"Moving out of St Martins Place, and using it to provide much needed social housing, benefits both the council and residents using our services and needing new homes."