A BLUE flag will not fly over Barry Island’s Whitmore Bay after the Vale Council failed to apply despite achieving the summer 2014 standard.

Barry & the Vale Friends of the Earth said the bathing standard had been met but the Blue Flag, Green Coast or Seaside awards would not be seen at the resort, once more, during the 2015 season.

The beach failed to make the standard in 2013.

But Vale Council said the decision not to apply did not indicate poor quality and that water was projected to be “excellent”.

Max Wallis, of Friends of the Earth, said Jacksons Bay beach failed the guideline water quality standard in four of the 20 samples taken weekly as Enterococci data indicate sewage pollution, but Whitmore Bay failed just two of the 20 samples, so could qualify overall.

Likewise, he said, Cold Knap and Southerndown both qualified but were not submitted for awards and the Vale Council had discontinued monitoring at Fontygary, Llantwit Major and Ogmore beaches

Mr Wallis said: “Under half of the Euro-designated bathing beaches in Wales are nominated under the Blue Flag scheme - 47 of the 102 total - because facilities like lifeguards and toilets are needed and dogs excluded. But the only ‘resort’ beach in Wales omitted is Barry’s Whitmore Bay – astonishing when the Vale Council claims to be promoting Barry as a resort.”

He said he believed the omissions related to the continuing sewage problem with four water samples failing at Jackson’s Bay and two at Whitmore Bay relating to sewage overflows from the Cog Moors works.

Vale Council director of visible services and housing, Miles Punter said the authority had not applied for Blue Flag Awards for any of the beaches in the Vale for 2015.

He said: “There are a number of reasons for this, none of which are related to the quality of bathing water. Natural Resources Wales have carried out preliminary tests which indicate that the quality of the bathing water is projected to be classed as excellent.

"While we were confident that the beach would have met the required standards we could not be completely certain that unforeseen circumstances arising from the regeneration work that was ongoing at the time would not temporarily impact on aspects on the beach and so result in the application being declined.

"It takes a great deal of work and can costs thousands of pounds to meet all the relevant criteria before even submitting an application for blue flag status. In light of the Council’s current budgetary constraints, it was decided not to submit an application that we were not absolutely certain would be successful."

He added: “It is likely that we will re-apply for Blue Flag Awards next year, when the Barry Island Regeneration Project is expected to be completed. We would like to reassure residents and visitors that the quality of the bathing water has not declined and if they would like to view the results themselves they can do so by visiting the Natural Resources Wales website.”

Barry Island trader Marco Zeraschi said fisherman had told him they were seeing a lot more cod in the water.

He said: “It’s got to be a lot cleaner if the fishermen are saying they have had cod, but don’t tell the chip shops.”