Plans to add fluoride to the water in Rutland and Leicestershire have been discussed by the region's health scrutiny committee. 

Director of public health for Leicestershire and Rutland, Mike Sandys told the committee of councillors yesterday (Wednesday, November 27) that the process was safe and would make a difference to tooth decay levels in the area, but not eliminate it.  

Rutland and Leicestershire are suffering from a lack of NHS dentists and have higher levels of tooth decay than the national average, with some children never having seen a dentist. 

The councils of Rutland, Leicester City and Leicestershire County Council are considering the move, with the meeting hearing it is preferable to act as a larger geographic area in the request to the department of health, which makes the final decision. 

However, there would need to be a public consultation before the councils made an expression of interest to the government and even then it could take as long as 12 years to be implemented. The public health officials at the meeting said they were waiting for an outcome of the request from the North East region and Nottingham before they would recommend moving ahead. 

A report discussed by the committee said: "The majority of LLR's water is supplied by Severn Trent, with smaller areas on the east of LLR provided by Anglian Water. Very small conurbations have existing fluoridated water within North West Leicestershire and Melton. Officers have met with fluoridation specialists within both water companies to informally discuss logistics and feasibility. Although the local water supply is complex, fluoridation would be possible, but until feasibility assessments are conducted the whole impact and effect cannot be known." 

Acknowledging concerns made in the US about fluoride, Mr Sandys said he saw adding fluoride to the water as a health benefit. 

He said: "What's the difference between a medicine and a poison? Well it's the dosage. Basically, I think it's a safe measure that we could do." 

He said in Leicestershire the cost of adding it would have been about £400,000 out of its £27m public health bill. 

Generally, the councillors on the health scrutiny were in favour of the proposal, with Cllr Ross Hills (Con), Leicestershire county councillor for Hinckley, pointed out that Birmingham had fluoride added to its water for 50 years and it was not a concern. 

Cllr Zuffar Haq (Lib Dem) said that to have to resort to fluoridisation meant the councils had failed. 

"We've had 15 years of knowing this problem is there and we're still one of the worst in the country. 

Cllr Phil King (Con), who is a Leicester County Councillor representing Market Harborough, said he was 'not entirely convinced' and concerned about the 'Nanny state knows best mantra'. 

So far Leicester City Council has backed the fluoride plan and it has been discussed by Rutland County Council. 

But Rutland's Cllr Ray Payne (Lib Dem) said: "I just want to throw in a word of caution here. Because when we had our meeting in Rutland, we were at great pains to say that we were only looking at it in principle. I don't want this to appear that we've already made a decision. This is not a done deal, certainly not in Rutland. There has to be a wide area consultation and the public's views have to be given weight."