St George's Day plans are unveiled

Plans for major St George's Day celebrations in a Black Country town are expected to be unveiled next month, amid hopes for a parade through the town centre.

A working party has been set up to oversee discussions for Walsall, after proposals for festivities earlier this year were scuppered due to a lack of time.

Councillors said plans then had been put forward too late for them to organise any large-scale event.

But Mayor of Walsall, Councillor John O'Hare, said that although nothing was yet set in stone for next year, he was keen to avoid the same problems that beset previous proposals.

We have set up a small working group, consisting of of people from all areas of the community," he said.

"We haven't received feedback from everyone yet and things are really in their embryonic stage at the moment.

"No decision has been made on the exact scale and as to whether there will be a parade.

"Not everyone is in favour of a parade, although personally I am in favour of it, because I think it would give the celebrations a higher profile." He added: "I have already contacted some groups to ask whether they would be willing to be involved.

"But I think it is good that we are making these plans early, as there are a lot of discussions that will need to be had with the police and other bodies before anything is finalised."

Councillor O'Hare said he hoped to release the first details of this year's celebrations following a meeting of the working group later this month.

Fears had previously been rife that extremists would gatecrash any St George's Day celebration in Walsall.

It comes as uncertainty surrounds the future of West Bromwich's annual St George's Day parade, which only went ahead this year thanks to last minute donations including £10,000 from businessman Chris Kelly, who runs truck dealers Keltruck.

Organising group, the Stone Cross St George Association, were left reeling when Sandwell Council announced in January that it would no longer provide the £10,000 needed.

They are now hoping to establish themselves as a registered charity to avoid cramming their entire fundraising into two months. Wolverhampton City Council was criticised some years ago for not marking the patron's saints day. But in recent years it has laid on marching bands and children's workshops during celebrations.