A Kapiti Coast anti-fluoride campaigner has lost his court case to have a conflict of interest declared for a councillor who voted in a tied fluoridation poll in 2010.

Mike Woods said he would not take the court action any further, but he would continue his work in the fluoride debate.

“We have a rock-solid case against fluoride,” he said today.

A High Court judge has dismissed Woods’ application to review the role of then deputy mayor Ann Chapman who was also on MidCentral District Health Board when a fluoride vote was taken in 2010.

The vote was tied and the mayor refused to make a casting vote so fluoridation continued.

The vote was 8-2 in favour of fluoridation when the council voted again last month.

Woods wanted declarations that Chapman had a conflict of interest that should have been publicly acknowledged.

In addition, she should not have voted because she was a member of a district health board, which was obliged to promote fluoridation, Woods said.

But Justice David Collins dismissed his case.

In his decision the judge said before the 2010 vote councillors were warned of their responsibilities to have an open mind in doing their duty on the council. A fair-minded observer would not think Chapman would have ignored the advice, the judge said.

The council filed submissions in the case but did not appear at the hearing. Chapman did not take part in the case.

The parties had agreed that no costs would be awarded.

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