Anti-fluoridation campaigners are cautiously celebrating a milestone victory in their battle to keep the chemical out of Bedford’s water supply.

Members of Fluoride Free Bedford were at a borough council meeting to hear the adult services and health scrutiny committee recommend the scheme should be “terminated” to the executive.

If agreed, the next step is to gauge public opinion with a consultation.

After the meeting last week campaign coordinator Cynthia Bagchi said: “We may have to continue this fight to help other areas, because if we don’t help other areas to understand the truth and keep fluoride out of their areas, they will come back and try and persuade the councillors here to fluoridate again. We’ve made a wonderful start but we can’t rest on our laurels.”

A Bedford Borough Council spokesman said the executive will consider the recommendation from the overview and scrutiny committee that fluoridation in Bedford Borough is terminated, on Wednesday, June 15.