SO, there could be another legal challenge to the plan to fluoridate Southampton? Oh dear, here we go again!

Look, there’s a much simpler solution. Why do not the Hampshire councils instead all get together and ask their Trading Standards Officers (and lawyers) to take a closer look at the legislation that actually forbids this practice?

Drinking water is a food. Adding fluorosilicic acid to any food to increase its fluoride level has been prohibited under EU food law since 2010.

That was the deadline for the UK Government to apply for special permission to continue using this illegal ingredient in any food – including drinking water. And it didn’t.

So continuing to argue interminably over whether or not there is an existing “agreement” with the water company is yet more timewasting – one can easily be reinstated by Public Health England (PHE) anyway.

As for asking the people – well that was firmly ignored in the last Judical Review, and if PHE wants to fluoridate the water then public opinion will still count for nothing.

Remember this – fluoridated water is NOT drinking water – it’s a “medicinal water”. As such its quality is NOT subject to control under the Drinking Water Directive. So substituting fluoridated water for drinking water takes away all of the protection for consumers afforded by that directive.

Are we really certain that we want to allow this product to be delivered to our homes?

DOUG CROSS, Cumbria.