Meals on wheels price hike U-turn

Plans to increase meals on wheels prices by 56 per cent in parts of the Black Country have been curbed because of fears over the soaring cost of living for pensioners.

But Dudley council still plans to increase prices by a massive 37 per cent.

There will be a rise of 95p, from £2.55 to £3.50 per day – making its service more expensive than anywhere else in the Black Country. The authority was planning to increase charges from £2.55 to £4 per day from August 18, but there was a last-ditch U-turn at a private meeting.

Councillor Peter Miller, cabinet member for adult and community services, met with Linda Sanders, director of adult, commmunity and housing, this week.

The price rise was expected to be rubberstamped at the meeting.

Councillor Miller said: “I decided £4 was too much and that £3.50 was more appropriate. There are lots of reasons for this in particular the country’s economic situation.

“I felt a lot of pensioners would struggle to pay the new price and it would really impact on their financial situation. There is also the issue of the growing popularity of alternatives such as pre-prepared supermarket food and we have to stay competitive.

“We need to look after the elderly and vulnerable at the same time as balancing our books and from a budget point of view I could have justified a much higher price than £4. But we also need to be fair to our residents and I think £3.50 is a reasonable compromise.”

The council has said a price rise is necessary to counter its decision to withdraw its subsidy for transporting meals due to the decreasing demand for the service.

In July 2007, 568 people received meals on wheels but this fell to 522 in January, this year, and 436 by the beginning of July.

The revised proposals will be formally discussed by Councillor Miller and Mrs Sanders at a meeting on July 23. If approved the changes would come into force on September 1.

Elsewhere in the Black Country daily meals on wheels charges are £3 in Sandwell and £2.49 in both Walsall and Wolverhampton.