LISMORE Council will once again debate the merits or otherwise of fluoridating their water supply on Tuesday night.

After listening to experts from both sides of the debate last week, Cr Vanessa Ekins has put forward a motion that “given the lack of evidence and community support” the council advises Rous Water they do not support fluoridation.

The last vote in September was 6-5, so only one councillor changing their mind would see Cr Ekins’ motion get up.

But if it fails to get the numbers, Cr Neil Marks has a second motion that would refer the matter back to the Director General of NSW Health to issue a directive, which would effectively mean council could not change its position again in the future.

“It would stop us going backwards and forwards and not allowing Rous (Water) to get on with their work,” he said.

“We had that last Tuesday… The aim of this motion is to see if we can hand this to the State Government to make sure it happens, which is the same process that happened at Richmond Valley Council.

We can’t have a situation where in three months time Vanessa (Ekins) is putting it up again. It allows everyone to know what’s going on.”

The council’s manager of assets, Scott Turner added in the staff comments that if Rous went ahead and started constructing and /or operating the dosing plants and Lismore Council changed its position on fluoride in the future, there would be some cost to the council.

However if there was a directive from the State Government, the council could not change its position without the support of the State.

He also pointed out that the motion only includes water supplies that are supplied by Rous Water, which does not include Nimbin.

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