Of vital importance is that in the end, the decision has to reflect the will of the people. We are fed up of being consulted and then ignored. There needs to be a big debate about this when the evidence from all sides properly listened to and considered before any decisions are made.

On the one hand, there can be no doubt that there is a huge problem with painful tooth decay in very young children in Burnley. It is not a five year old's fault if his parents don't teach him to brush his teeth, but it's the child who suffers. How do we best reach such children and help them?

On the other hand, the evidence that adding fluoride to water is beneficial is at best weak. People will have serious concerns that it amounts to enforced medication of people for some of whom it could actually cause problems not cure them, and other options for how our taxes are spent on dental care need to be considered at the same time.

In the end, this has to be the people's decision, not one for some doctor or politician locked up in an ivory tower.