Price hike planned for Telford meals on wheels service

Telford & Wrekin Council has taken a year-long look at the way it provides hot meals to pensioners in the borough.

Its scrutiny committee recommends hiking the price of a hot meal from £2.65 each to around £3.15.

The cost of a meal would then increase annually in line with increases to the state pension.

Councillor Arnold England said: "The adult social care budget is the biggest part of the council's overall budget.

"At a time when cuts in Government grant means that the council has less money to pay for services, we must find ways to save money in this area.

"I am minded that when the scrutiny review comes to cabinet next month, I will be urging my colleagues to accept many of the recommendations to ensure that a community meals service continues to be provided to vulnerable older people in the borough."

The council needs to save £57,000 from the service as Government cuts bite.

Any person over the age of 65 who lives in the borough can use the council's meals on wheels service.

Around 8,800 people aged 65 and over live alone in the Telford and Wrekin area.

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) provides a hot meal service, while frozen meals are provided by Appetito.

The council also wants to work with the RVS to bring in a Good Neighbours Scheme to provide company when meals are delivered and to help with heating up the food, as already happens in other parts of the country.

The local authority also wants to encourage local organisations and parish councils to help by providing hot meals.

During 2011 to 2012, the period examined by the committee, there were around 440 people who used the service including hot and frozen meals, paying £2.10 for a main meal and 55p for a pudding.

Throughout 2012 the RVS sold 15,212 hot meals, bringing in £40,312, while 31,094 frozen meals were sold, making £82,399.

The council said that the cost of a meal had not increased for "a number of years".

RVS volunteers told the council they were not opposed to increasing the price of a meal - as long as it didn't exceed £3.50.

The majority of service users receive meals five days a week, with some taking two frozen meals as well to see them through the weekend.

The chair of the scrutiny committee, Councillor Derek White, said: "Our priority has been to ensure that the safety of the service users is paramount and that, if our recommendation to develop a Good Neighbours Service is accepted, that there are no gaps in the service during this transition.

"We want to see a range of options for people who need help with meals – some people will use the frozen meal service that is available and we would like to see more local organisations providing a hot meal service in their area like the Donnington Life Long Learning Centre.

"The Good Neighbours Service is a real opportunity to develop the role of volunteers. We have been very impressed with the way the RVS works and commend all their volunteers and staff."

The recommendations will go before councillors at a meeting on May 27.