ORGANISERS of Redditch's Community Arts Festival Event (CAF) are forging ahead with their plans for 2005 - despite initial concerns it would clash with a festival being organised by Redditch Council.

At the last meeting of the CAF committee, it was revealed the youth event planned by the council at Arrow Valley Park was to be expanded into a general professional festival to take place in the centre of town.

BRMB had offered to provide a stage and as the choice of dates was limited, the only date available was the week before the 2005 CAF event.

The committee had the choice of either changing the date of CAF or combining with the council festival.

As the Kingfisher Centre, Kingsley College, Redditch Library and St Stephens Church had already been booked and 40 application forms sent to local societies, it was felt it was too late to change the date of the event.

A spokesman said: "The committee decided to combine with the general event, providing the aims of the two events were made clear.

"It was felt CAF would make a fitting finale to three weeks of celebrations, as last year there were more than 30 applications to take part from societies and individuals.

"These covered choirs and vocalists, art displays, all types of dancing from Morris to Poi, visiting authors, drama groups and static art displays."

Committee member Malcolm Hall will liaise with the council to make sure the two events complement and do not replicate each other.

The committee also discussed a change of name from CAF but felt it was too late in the year to do it and deferred a decision to after next year's event.

The words 'Redditch', 'showcase' and 'arts' were suggested.