International recognition for Barry Island
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is very proud to announce that
Whitmore Bay at Barry Island has qualified to fly the coveted
International Blue Flag for the second year running.
The Blue Flag is awarded annually in over 32 countries across
the world, and Wales can boast a record 44 beaches and five marinas
for the 2007 season. To have achieved Blue Flag status is an
acknowledgement that recipients have joined the premier league for
beaches and marinas.
Beaches are judged against a total of 29 criteria which include
reaching the highest water quality, good litter management,
provision of information, strict dog controls and sustainable
environmental management.
In addition to the award for Whitmore Bay, the Council has also
received notification that individual “Seaside Awards” have been
secured for Southerndown, Ogmore, Llantwit Major, Fontygary,
Whitmore Bay and Jackson’s Bay. The “Seaside Award” standard
recognises the management of seaside amenities and is a nationally
awarded accreditation.
Vale Council Leader Cllr Margaret Alexander is delighted that
Whitmore Bay has yet again been recognised as a high quality resort
beach and that a number of other Vale beaches have also attained
“Seaside Awards."
She said: "Obtaining these prestigious awards demonstrate the
Vale Council's cotninued commitment to maintain and increase the
standards of our beaches.
"I would like to say a special thank you to all our resort staff
for their dedication and hard work. The council has made a number
of improvements to Barry Island, in particular, over the past 12
months, including a comprehensive painting programme completed last
year, and this announcement is the first of many positive
developments planned for the Island this year.”
She continued: “These awards are an independent indicator of the
high quality of our beaches which will, in turn, help to attract
even more visitors, further establishing the Vale as a high quality
tourist destination."
The Blue Flag Awards are managed in Wales, on behalf of the
Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education, by Keep Wales
Tidy. KWT Chief Executive Tegryn Jones commented: "When the awards
were introduced to Wales in the early Nineties, only two beaches
met the strict criteria but this year we are celebrating the news
that 44 of our beaches and five marinas have made the list. But we
are well aware that we have some way to go before we can claim that
every inch of our 750-mile coastline is pristine.
"Much has been achieved by local authorities and Welsh Water in
recent years in driving up the quality of our bathing water and
land based infrastructure. We now call upon the beach visitor to
play their part by ensuring that they respect our national
treasures."
For further information on coastal management in the Vale,
please contact the Council’s Visible Services Department on 029
2067 3000 or e-mail visible@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk.
Caption: Vale of Glamorgan Council Leader Cllr
Margaret Alexander, Deputy Leader Cllr Neil Moore, Head of Visible
Services Miles Punter, Works Manager Colin Smith, Cllr Steffan
Wiliam and Mayor Cllr Nic Hodges.