Lib Dem Cllr hits out at Meals on Wheels price hike

6.02.55pm GMT Mon 13th Feb 2006

Cllr Freda Mountain "A cynical cost-cutting exercise to exclude the most vulnerable"

Lib Dem Cllr Freda Mountain has slammed the County Council's proposal to slap more than 50% onto the cost of its Meals on Wheels service. She said, "I will fight this appalling rise - the third in a year - from £2.10 to £3.50 which will deprive many elderly people of their only meals."

Cllr Mountain runs the Age Concern's Cathy Mapes Day Centre in Chelmsford which charges £2.50. She says, "Many of our clients come here by public or community transport. For those who can't get out, Meals on Wheels is the only way they can get food."

And she rejected the County's contention that the service has become a victim of its own success. "Whoever heard of a service having to put up its costs because more people are using it. The opposite should be the case. This sounds very much like a deliberate attempt to exclude some of the most vulnerable from the service in a cynical cost-cutting exercise."

CONSERVATIVES DON'T NEED TO HIKE PRICES - CLLR. TOM SMITH-HUGHES

Cllr. Smith-Hughes "Tories don't need to raise Meals on Wheels prices"

"Conservatives at County Hall are neglecting the most vulnerable members of our society in a desperate bid to balance their books - but we have shown it would be possible to prevent an unacceptable massive rise in the price of meals on wheels," said Liberal Democrats leader Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes.

"There is increasing pressure on the social services budget due to longer life expectancy and our ability to provide more sophisticated services, which the Conservatives have repeatedly flagged up over the past few months. Astonishingly, they have decided to ignore their own warnings and not put in anywhere near enough money to cover vulnerable residents' needs.

"There is the money available as the Liberal Democrats alternative budget shows only too clearly. We would allocate an extra £5.5m for the social services budget which will, amongst other things, allow us to continue to heavily subsidise meals on wheels, cutting the proposed increase of either £1.20 or £1.70 per head to 10p. and allowing people to continue using the service and remain in their own homes", Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes added.

The elderly and disabled in Essex have been the hardest hit in the budget agreed for the next financial year. The social services department looks like overspending by a massive £20m in the current financial year. However, the ruling Conservatives budget for next year, once the overspend and inflation is allowed for, provides no extra money overall.