Bid to overturn fluoride ruling (From Daily Echo)

Bid to overturn fluoride ruling

7:10am Sunday 26th April 2009 in

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NEW Forest politicians have launched a bid to overturn the controversial decision to add fluoride to tap water.

They have made an official complaint to the parliamentary and health ombudsman, claiming the consultation which led to the decision was “seriously biased”

New Forest East MP Julian Lewis and Totton county councillor David Harrison want the ombudsman to rule it flawed and order it be carried out again.

They claim the consultation document from the South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) was one-sided and they slammed as “outrageous” the secretary of state for speaking in favour of compulsory fluoridation – a move designed to influence the decision.

The Tory and Lib Dem politicians also complain the carefully considered views of the county council – opposing fluoridation – were not raised with the health authority board which voted unanimously in favour of the scheme.

SHA insists feedback from residents, campaigners and health professionals on both sides were taken on board when it made its decision.

More than 10,000 people had a say on the plans to fluoridate the homes of nearly 200,000 Hampshire people. Of those respondents who live in the affected area, 72 per cent said they were against the proposals.

SHA also commissioned a telephone survey of 2,000 residents. That found 38 per cent were opposed to fluoridation, 32 per cent were in favour, 19 per cent were neither for or against and ten per cent said they didn’t know.

In a letter to the ombudsman’s office Dr Lewis said it was “absolutely balderdash” to claim the poll showed there was “no majority opinion”.

His letter claimed that the consultation exercise “was utterly bogus and that there was never a cat’s chance in hell that the people with the power to decide whether the water supply should be fluoridated, would not do so – irrespective of what turns out to have been an entirely worthless pledge given to local people by the prime minister in Southampton that the final decision would be theirs.”

Dr Lewis said: “We are hoping that the ombudsman will declare the consultation process was flawed and therefore it has to be set aside and that nothing can proceed until proper consultation is carried out impartially.”

An SHA spokesman said: “We carried out the consultation in line with the relevant legislation and content in having made a decision which will benefit future generations of children.”

Two-thirds of Southampton, and areas of Eastleigh, Totton, Netley and Rownhams will have fluoride added to water.