Vanfest was cancelled this year following a series of recommendations presented to the council out of an auditors report.

The report was prepared after the second day of last year’s event was washed out following torrential rain.

Mr Loane said there wasn’t time to implement the recommendations from the report and organise this year’s event, originally planned for December.

“We contacted the Bureau of Meteorlogy to find out what was the best weather (to stage the event),” Mr Loane said.

“We found out, on a 10 year average, March or April was the time of least amount of rainfall.”

According to Mr Loane the March or April period also fitted in well with an already established music festival calendar.

“In the festival cycle it’s not a bad spot,” Mr Loane said.

If it was held in that period Mr Loane said it would also fit in well with university holidays.

Unless Council comes up with an alternative time for some other reason, Mr Loane said the Council had resolved to hold Vanfest in March or April.

He went on to say Council was looking at a sponsorship arrangement for Vanfest leaving the risk of staging the event in the hands of the festival director.

“Council is keen to sponsor the event to a set figure and the festival director will take the risk and also take the profit.

“The normal thing for council to support the event in the first instance and then wean the event off council support so it could stand alone by year five.

“Vanfest has had four years of operation but two of those years have been rain affected.

“To give it a fair chance council needs to give it five years before it stands alone.”

Mr Loane said there was overwhelming support from the community and council for the event and for it to continue to grow.

While Forbes Shire is yet to determine its level of sponsorship for Vanfest Mr Loane said an event like VanFest could expect to attract between $200,000 and $300,000 in support.

If council goes down a sponsorship path Mr Loane said the only support Council would provide to Vanfest would be an agreed cash component with the Vanfest director then be responsible for all other expenses.

If we continued on the pathway council was on last year council would be responsible for staff, machinery and all other equipment.

“That’s why council is looking at a sponsorship agreement, it is a much cleaner arrangement,” Mr Loane said.