Daily Echo

FLUORIDE REFERENDUM?
Councillors prepare to vote on whether health authority should ask residents if they want fluoride in their water
A REFERENDUM on controversial plans to fluoridate Hampshire water supplies could be a step closer.
By Jon Reeve
Councillors in Southampton will next week vote over whether to call on South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) to ask affected residents if they want fluoride added to their water supplies.
The move is a major boost for the Daily Echo-backed campaign for a public vote on fluoridation to let the people have the final say on the highly-contentious plans.
Anti-fluoridation campaigners have hailed the move as a hugely significant in the fight against the scheme because Southampton City Council was previously the only local authority to support fluoride. But the health authority insists it will make no difference to the decision, which was made unanimously by its 12 board members last February
The move follows complaints that public opinion was ignored when the SHA approved the scheme, which will affect nearly 200,000 homes in parts of Southampton, Eastleigh, Totton, Netiey and Rownhams.
The plans are currently on hold while the High Court considers a judicial review of the decision, because 72 per cent of people from the affected area who responded to a consultation told the health authority they are against fluoridation.
The SHA argues it followed Government guidelines, which say it only had to consider public opinion through a consultation, but not be tied to it.
Deputy council leader Royston Smith, who is behind Wednesday's vote, believes it is essential the people have a definitive say on such an emotive issue, with health chiefs bound by the outcome of any vote.
If it is successful, Southampton City Council would add its voice to those, including the Daily Echo, who have argued a referendum is the only sensible way to provide a mandate for or against fluoridation.
During the consultation, the authority backed the plans to add the chemical to tap water in a bid to reduce tooth decay in children. But Cllr Smith, who voted against giving that support, says holding a referendum has nothing to do with whether the move is right or wrong.
He said: "I think it's well documented that people agree, quite rightly, that they haven't had their say and they don't think their views have been taken into consideration. "Having a referendum once and for all on what is put in the water is the right thing to do."

Hampshire Against Fluoridation chairman John Spottiswoode said: "Southampton's was the key decision during the consultation, that meant the SHA felt they could proceed.
"This would say they no longer support fluoridation. The SHA is gradually losing every shred of support or evidence they ever had for doing it."But an SHA spokesman said a successful council vote would have no impact on the decision He said: "There is no mechanism which South Central Strategic Health Authority is able to hold a referendum"

Fluoride information event
Find out more about the campaign to stop fluoride being added to the tap water delivered to almost 200,000 Hampshire homes at a special information event this weekend.
Hampshire Against Fluoridation, the group which has led the fight to oppose the scheme adopted by health chiefs as a way of improving dental health of kids in Southampton, holds its AGM tomorrow.
Members of the public are invited to meet those behind the organisation, to discuss why they don't want fluoridation and how they are trying to stop it becoming a reality.
Campaigners argue fluoridation is an unethical form of mass-medication and raises fears over side effects including mottled teeth, brittle bones and cancers.
Saturday's free event, which is open to all, runs from 2pm to 4pm at St James Methodist Church Hall, St James Road, Shirley, Southampton. As well as the group's AGM, it will include a talk by Stephen Peckham, a reader in health policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine along with music, poetry and refreshments.