THANET council has asked for Walpole Bay to be delisted as a bathing beach.

In a decision taken by councillors Alan Poole and Iris Johnston, the authority has requested Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) de-designate the Cliftonville bay.

The move comes after a controversial public consultation in which a report by the Environment Agency over the number of people swimming at the bay was called into question.

Scores of people wrote to Thanet council to object to delisting the bay, which means an end to water testing there, but last month the two Labour cabinet members decided to push ahead with the proposals.

Thanet council says that if testing continues at the bay and the water quality fails new, higher, European Union standards, that it would be forced to put up a sign warning potential bathers that it does not meet the set level.

A decision notice published by Thanet council last month reads:

“There is a significant risk that a water sampling failure in 2011 may require Thanet District Council to place signage on the beach advising public not to bathe in the water. This could also potentially detract from the 10 beaches where water sampling takes place and are entered into the Blue Flag award scheme. The local economy relies for much of its income from visitors to local beaches and the foreshore.

“Water sampling occurs at Walpole Bay purely due to its historic use in the past when the district received many more visitors. The signage and negative publicity that could result from a no bathing sign is perceived as a significant risk to the reputation of this location, which could jeopardise local businesses that are struggling to survive the continuing impacts of the economic downturn.

“A survey of the users carried out by the Environment Agency showed during a 20 day period in 2012 during the peak season that 633 people used the sea (this includes 368 people using the tidal bathing pool) compared to nearby Margate bay which recorded 8,833 in-water users in 2013 in the lifeguarded area.

“Concern has been expressed by responders to the consultation based on a position that the proposal is to close the bay for swimming use. This appears to arise from a misunderstanding of the proposals, and is not the intention of the council. The proposals specifically seek to avoid having to erect a “No Bathing” sign at the beach based on a failure several years ago.”

Some views given as part of Thanet council’s consultation did cite concern of the loss of a bathing beach, but many did not. More than half of responses called for the beach not to be dedesignated and for testing to continue.

Defra will now hold a second period of consultation over six weeks before making a decision.