Great news was announced this morning that the Isle of Wight scooped 17 beach awards including four Blue Flags and 13 Seaside Awards.
The award scheme acts as a guarantee to tourists that a beach they’re visiting is one of the best in the world. Not surprisingly, strict criteria needs to be met in order to qualify for the awards.
What happens if beach cleaning scrapped?
Questions have been raised as to what will happen when the council cut funding to the current beach cleaning teams.
At the February budget meeting of the Full Council the proposed budgets for 2014/15 were approved. As part of the plans to save £28m over the next three years, the council proposes to slash funding for beach cleaning, as well as senior/middle management posts across the areas of countryside, beaches, parks and open spaces.
Rely on third parties to cover costs
The council say that by seeking “local third parties to take over the responsibility for beach cleaning currently funded by the Council”, they would save £30,000 in 2014/15, then a further 130,000 in 2015/16.
If council funding is lost for beach cleaners and no third parties take on the financial burden it could leave the prospect of Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for 2015 in a precarious position.
Full details can be found in the paper below. Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Image: © Isle of Wight Council
