There may be no Blue Flag flying over Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth this summer, but town leaders are determined that will be rectified in 2015.

There was outrage last month when it was revealed that Cornwall Council had not applied for the internationally recognised accolade in a bid to save around £800.

This week, as 56 Blue Flags were awarded to beaches across the country, Gyllyngvase has had to settle for a ‘Seaside Award’ which recognises “the highest standards of beach management” as opposed to water quality and cleanliness.

Falmouth Town Council, though, will be making its own application for a Blue Flag next year and is hopeful it will be successful in its efforts to win back the award.

Town manager, Richard Gates, said yesterday: “A Blue Flag historically has been applied for via Cornwall Council, however, due to reasons, rightly or wrongly, they have not applied for it.

“We as a town council very much want to take over that process, so for 2015 hopefully we will have our Blue Flag back. There is already work going on behind the scenes.

“If we had been aware of it, we would have applied this year, but we were not.”