Wakefield Council's cabinet is to discuss a proposal to relocate the city's museum to a new civic building on Westgate, which is due to open in 2012 and will also feature a library.

The plans will go before the committee on 31 May, with Wakefield Museum's current home at Wood Street to be used by Wakefield College as a performing arts venue. Members are being asked to approve a 25-year lease of the Grade II*-listed Wood Street to the college at a peppercorn rent to help its bid to establish a city centre campus.

If approved, the museum services would be suspended from autumn in order to allow time for the relocation to the Westgate civic building to take place. Wakefield Council cabinet member for culture David Dagger said: "Re-locating to Westgate means we can give better value for money, without reducing the quality, conservation or care of our collection."