Blue Flags will once again not be flown on Gwynedd’s beaches.

In 2021, Gwynedd could boast that it had six Blue Flag beaches, but there were concerns raised in 2022 when Keep Wales Tidy announced the winners of that year’s flag awards and Gwynedd was not on it.

The authority told the Cambrian then that it had stopped entering the Keep Wales Tidy accreditation scheme, citing the cost of it as one of their reasons for abandoning it.

It is thought that the authority would no longer be eligible for blue flags because they do not have RNLI lifeguards on its beaches, preferring instead to have their own beach wardens, but when asked once again why Gwynedd Council did not enter their beaches into this year’s Blue Flag contest, a council spokesperson said: “Our beaches are as clean, safe and popular as they have always been.

“Water quality is measured regularly, with many beaches achieving the highest standard of ‘excellent’.

“Blue Flag is just one accreditation scheme which evaluates beaches based on various criteria.

“Some of the requirements are expensive and at odds with established beach management arrangements in north west Wales so we decided not to apply this year.

“Our beaches remain amongst the best in Wales and will continue to attract thousands of visitors again this summer.”

Meanwhile in Ceredigion, four beaches will be able to fly the coveted Blue Flag.

The prestigious flags – the gold standard for beach quality worldwide – have been awarded to Borth, Aberystwyth South, Llangrannog and Tresaith.

Poppit Sands in Pembrokeshire on the other side of the Teifi also achieved Blue Flag status for 2024.

Aberporth however, which achieved a Blue Flag in 2023, misses out this year, but it did achieve the a Keep Wales Tidy Seaside award.

The other Ceredigion beaches achieving the Seaside Award, which recognises beaches that have an overall ‘Good’ standard of water quality, public facilities, safety provision and management, are Clarach, Aberystwyth North, New Quay Harbour and New Quay Dolau/North.

Elsewhere, beaches at Llanrhystud, Cilborth-Llangrannog, Penbryn and Mwnt obtained the coveted rural Green Coast Award, which recognises beaches of high environmental quality.