UK - Bolton. Should fluoride be added to tap water: Your Vote
Should fluoride be added to tap water: Your Vote
By Rob Devey
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A REFERENDUM on whether fluoride should be added to Bolton's water is unlikely to take place until 2009. It was decided at a full Bolton Council meeting in March that a referendum would be held on the issue after Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors united to outvote the Labour administration. But Bolton Council's executive committee today agreed the referendum will only be held if and when the North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) consults on fluoridation. The SHA's 24 primary care trusts (PCT), including Bolton, are waiting on the North West Fluoridation Evaluation Group, of which they are members, to report on the pros and cons next year. After the PCTs have considered the group's report, a formal consultation run by the SHA would be triggered across the region if demanded by just one PCT. A council report considered by the executive said it was "very likely a number of PCTs" would request the consultation.But it added that because the report was not due until 2008, consultation was unlikely to begin before 2009. At the executive meeting, director of legal and democratic services, Alan Eastwood, said cabinet office guidelines meant material taken into account as part of any consultation had to be recent. "If we were to do a referendum at this time it might well be out of date and of no value by the time there is consultation," he said. "That would not seem to be a good use of resources."
All three party leaders, agreed. Council and Labour leader, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: "We would not want to hold a referendum that would be no use to anybody." Consrvative leader, Cllr John Walsh, said: "We should consult the public before this is even considered but I agree a referendum would be premature at this stage." Lib Dem leader, Cllr Roger Hayes, added the council should have an input in deciding the questions to be asked and Cllr Morris said that would have to be taken up with the SHA. The PCT, which is responsible for Bolton's NHS dental provision, has argued fluoridation would improve the poor state of children's teeth. But opponents say it is a form of mass medication and claim it has been linked to cancer and deterioration of bones.
So far vote is 100% against
By Rob Devey
Comment | Read Comments (2)
A REFERENDUM on whether fluoride should be added to Bolton's water is unlikely to take place until 2009. It was decided at a full Bolton Council meeting in March that a referendum would be held on the issue after Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors united to outvote the Labour administration. But Bolton Council's executive committee today agreed the referendum will only be held if and when the North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) consults on fluoridation. The SHA's 24 primary care trusts (PCT), including Bolton, are waiting on the North West Fluoridation Evaluation Group, of which they are members, to report on the pros and cons next year. After the PCTs have considered the group's report, a formal consultation run by the SHA would be triggered across the region if demanded by just one PCT. A council report considered by the executive said it was "very likely a number of PCTs" would request the consultation.But it added that because the report was not due until 2008, consultation was unlikely to begin before 2009. At the executive meeting, director of legal and democratic services, Alan Eastwood, said cabinet office guidelines meant material taken into account as part of any consultation had to be recent. "If we were to do a referendum at this time it might well be out of date and of no value by the time there is consultation," he said. "That would not seem to be a good use of resources."
All three party leaders, agreed. Council and Labour leader, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: "We would not want to hold a referendum that would be no use to anybody." Consrvative leader, Cllr John Walsh, said: "We should consult the public before this is even considered but I agree a referendum would be premature at this stage." Lib Dem leader, Cllr Roger Hayes, added the council should have an input in deciding the questions to be asked and Cllr Morris said that would have to be taken up with the SHA. The PCT, which is responsible for Bolton's NHS dental provision, has argued fluoridation would improve the poor state of children's teeth. But opponents say it is a form of mass medication and claim it has been linked to cancer and deterioration of bones.
So far vote is 100% against
posted by Bill at
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