Panel split on fluoride but votes in favour

Panel split on fluoride but votes in favour
9:05am Thursday 30th October 2008
SOUTHAMPTON’S councillors are being urged to back controversial plans to fluoridate the tap water delivered to two thirds of the city’s residents.
A special panel of councillors set up to examine the scheme, proposed by health chiefs in an effort to improve dental health, last night narrowly voted to recommend it is supported.
The views of the seven-strong committee will go before the full council next month, when the authority’s formal response to the public consultation will be agreed.
After two previous evidence-gathering sessions, members of the Water Fluoridation Inquiry members voiced their opinions before voting on the proposals.
“The view is very strongly in my mind that as an elected body responsible for promoting health and wellbeing we should be supporting fluoridation,” said Cllr Peter Marsh-Jenks. Panel chair, Cllr Edwina Cooke voted against the scheme.
“It is a tremendous amount of money that I feel could be much better spent on the children themselves,” she said.
The panel voted to back the scheme by four to three.