Full Council Today

Just a quick few lines from me. Today is Full Council; a meeting where all Councillors from across the city gather to discuss the issues currently facing the city and the decisions taken by the Conservative-led Council.

The major issues today are on our call to the Conservatives to bring an end to the Industrial Dispute with the workers of Southampton City Council. I am very much aware of the responsibility placed on my shoulders today as I walk into the Guildhall shortly before two o'clock this afternoon. The issues which have caused the strikes and the strikes themselves are having huge impacts on people across the city, including the elderly and vulnerable. My favourite useless bit of propaganda over the past few weeks was the letter sent out by the Council, from who I do not know (no Labour Councillor saw it before it went out). The first page was setting out how to take rubbish to the nearest tip etc. A tough task in Millbrook as around a third of the people living here don't have a car; the buses won't let you on with rubbish; and the tip won't let you enter on foot! The back page really was just an opportunity for some unknown person to attack the Unions. Very sad that our money paid for in taxes was used in this way.

The other major item for discussion today is on Fluoridisation. This is a motion brought by one of the three remaining Liberal Democrat Councillors. It calls for the reversal of the Strategic Health Authority’s decision to add fluoride to our city’s water supply. I must admit thatthe idea of adding a chemical to the water supply in order to add to a persons health is something, which on the back of my own research and medical advice, could be advantageous. However, there are two issues for me on this issue: firstly, the overwhelming public response to the consultation was no. But they still did it anyway. Consultation was merely a box to tick in the legitimisation of the decision. It failed, so they still pressed ahead. This was a totally improper way to behave. The common sense approach suggests the process was a complete waste of time and that there is not much point in engaging with these professionals. Secondly, I do believe that adding fluoride to a water  supply could aid dental health. HOWEVER, I feel that we might be better placed to spend the money in other areas to achieve better results in improving the dental health of our city. For those individuals who have poorer teeth, I would suggest that they do not use tap water a great deal in their dental routine anyway. If they don’t drink tap water or use it in cooking, how will adding it improve their health? Perhaps this solution is for a different question? Maybe we could support health awareness or dental practitioners to a better extent with the finances that would be used to add this unwanted chemical. The way this has been carried out certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

So, it will probably be a very long meeting, with a number of protesters. Stay safe and lets have a good debate at Full Council.

P.S. Now on twitter @asaspacey