By Bruce Robbins, Ralph Barnett and Claire Warrender

FIVE STRETCHES of golden sand in Fife, and the Broughty Ferry and Montrose beaches, have again emerged from stringent inspections with the international Blue Flag award in recognition of high standards.

With this month marking the beginning of the “official” outdoor bathing season, they were the only Scottish beaches to meet environmental standards demanded of Blue Flag status.

Broughty Ferry and Montrose were joined by Aberdour Silver Sands, Elie, Burntisland and St Andrews East and West Sands as the cleanest in the country.

In addition to five Blue Flags, a further six beaches in Fife were presented with Rural Seaside Awards which recognise litter management procedures, the provision of information and community involvement.

They are Aberdour Black Sands, Billowness at Anstruther, Crail Roome Bay, Elie Ruby Bay, Pettycur and Kingsbarns.

Carnoustie beach also held on to its designation as a recommended Rural Seaside beach.

The Blue Flag accolade, an award made by Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) and recognised world-wide, is only given to beaches which meet tough criteria ensuring facilities are clean and environmental standards high.

Information and education about the beach and its wildlife should also be provided and bathing waters must meet the highest standards.

The fact that Fife has once again achieved such a high number of awards is a matter of pride for the council, whose workers put great effort into ensuring the standards were met.

Fife councillor George Leslie, chairman of the housing and communities committee which has responsibility for the beach management strategy, said, “I’m very pleased that Fife has managed to keep its position as the local authority with the biggest number of award winning beaches.

“We’re very proud of our coastline here in Fife and our local coastal communities.

“There’s a lot of hard work goes into protecting the coastal environment, keeping our beaches clean, providing services for visitors and making sure we keep them to award winning standards.

“Local people play an important part in doing this too. The awards are as much for the council’s effort as for them too.”

For Broughty Ferry, it was the third year in a row that the beach has made the grade, prompting congratulations from Dundee City Council’s leisure, arts and communities convener Councillor Richard McCready.

He said, “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award once again which reflects our commitment to first class public facilities.

“Dundee City Council, together with the local community, work closely together to ensure the smooth running of the beach, which offers a clean, safe, quality seaside environment for future generations.

“The recent arrival of the dolphins once again this year is yet another indication of the clean water conditions achieved in the River Tay and I am sure will prove, like last year, to be a great added attraction for visitors to Broughty Ferry beach.”

Angus Council neighbourhood services convener Councillor Jim Millar said, “I am delighted that both Montrose and Carnoustie have retained these prestigious awards.

“This council recognises that the county’s wonderful coastline is an excellent economic and environmental asset and has invested heavily in our seaside resorts.”

Keep Scotland Beautiful chief executive John Summers congratulated all three local authorities for their efforts.

He added, “Fife Council continues to lead the way in terms of managing the Blue Flag in Scotland but consistently meeting and improving upon the standards, which get tougher year on year, is a particular feat, especially as visitor expectations rise.

“It is now up to us all to act responsibly when we visit our beaches: to take our litter home or use the bins provided, to take heed of safety advice issued, to use public transport to get to the beach, and to have a safe and happy experience this summer.”