Queries about water fluoridation in Cumbria

The request was partially successful.

Dear North West Strategic Health Authority,

I request copies of all correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, etc between the SHA and UU on the subject of fluoridation in Cumbria, in particular, any potential upgrading or refurbishment of the Cornhow and Ennerdale Water Treatment Works.

I would like to know how much has been spent on maintenance, refurbishing and upgrading on the two WTW’s in the past two decades.

Yours faithfully,

Dianne Standen

Dear North West Strategic Health Authority,

I sent some FOI questions to you relating to the fluoridation of water in West Cumbria.

You have failed to provide a response by the 26th October.

I look forward to a prompt reply to this reminder. Failing that I will request an internal review.

Yours faithfully,

Dianne Standen

Lamb Kieran, North West Strategic Health Authority

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Dear Ms Standen

Apologies for the delay in our response to your request, I have been
waiting for guidance from the Information Commissioner regarding the use
of Environmental Information Regulations (EIR).  You have asked for:

1. Copies of all correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, etc between
the SHA and UU on the subject of fluoridation in Cumbria, in
particular, any potential upgrading or refurbishment of the Cornhow
and Ennerdale Water Treatment Works.
2. Details of how much has been spent on maintenance, refurbishing and
upgrading on the two WTW's in the past two decades.

In terms of your first question. At this moment in time there is an
investigation being undertaken into the interruption in the flow of
fluoride at the Cornhow Water Treatment Works (WTW) to which NHS North
West.  This investigation is likely to be completed in December 2010. 
Until that point, it is our view that the correspondence relating to this
investigation is exempt from disclosure under Regulation 12(4)(d) of  EIR
which excepts material in the course of completion, unfinished documents
and incomplete data.  Clearly this is a time limited exception until the
report on Cornhow has been produced at which point you may request copies
of this correspondence.

Both fluoridation schemes at Cornhow and Ennerdale are schemes that were
undertaken under previous regulations and are therefore do not fall under
the remit of NHS North West but  do fall under the stewardship of NHS
Cumbria.  Consequently the SHA does not hold any correspondence beyond
the current investigation between itself and United Utilities relating to
fluoridation in Cumbria.  However the attached segment of a letter from
the former Cumbria and Lancashire SHA to Tony Cunningham MP does relate to
the second question you have posed and we believe we should supply this
document to you in the spirit of the Act in that while it falls outside
the remit of your question it is related documentation.

As you will be aware no consultation on Fluoridation in the wider North
West has been undertaken and until that process has begun correspondence
between United Utilities and NHS North West will only arise when there are
operational concerns that the Strategic Health Authority needs to address.

In terms of your request relating to the costs of refurbishment, again
because the current schemes do not fall within the remit of NHS North West
there is no information held beyond the item attached which reveals that
in 2004 the costs involved in the refurbishment of the Water Treatment
Plants was:

Ennerdale WTW £328,083

Cornhow WTW £80,622

If you are dissatisfied with any decisions made in relation to the release
of information relating to your request you may ask for an internal
review. A request for an internal review should be addressed to:

Mildred Dillon
Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs
NHS North West
7th Floor
Gateway House
Piccadilly South
Manchester
M60 7LP

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The contact details are:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
CHESHIRE
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Kieran Lamb

Kieran Lamb

Head of Library Services

Fade Library

Liverpool PCT

Regatta Place

Summers Road

Brunswick Business Park

Liverpool

L3 4BL

t: 0151 285 4495
f: 0151 285 4499
w: [1]www.fade.nhs.uk
b: [2]www.fadelibrary.wordpress.com

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