IT took three times of asking and the casting vote of Southampton’s sheriff.

But Southampton’s ancient Court Leet agreed to ask the city council to rethink its support for adding fluoride to tap water.

Anti-fluoride campaigners seized the chance to put their case for councillors to vote again on the scheme, which would affect 160,000 city residents, following the extent of public opposition.

Some 72 per cent of the 10,000 responses to a consultation by the South Central Strategic health Authority were not in favour and its decision to press ahead is now subject to a judicial review.

The jury of court, which has sat since the 14th century to hear “presentments”

from citizens on matters of local concern, at first refused two requests for a fluoride rethink. A third request evenly split the jury after a couple of members left the session early and the sheriff, Councillor Carol Cunio, used her casting vote to accept it. The city council will now have to consider the court’s plea for another fluoride debate.

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Hampshire Against Fluoride spokesman Stephen Peckham had told the court: “During the consultation the city council voted by a majority of four in favour of the scheme.

Since the health authority made their decision a number of councillors have expressed their disquiet about the decision and how it was made. If the council knew local residents were so opposed they may have made a different decision.”

Children from Weston Park Junior School joined Sheriff Cunio in the Beating the Bounds ceremony at the Bargate, an ancient tradition to observe a parish’s boundaries. The children won the backing of the court for the council to introduce more play equipment and activities in Weston.