The number of meals on wheels users in Dudley has fallen by nearly 20 per cent since a steep price hike at the beginning of this month, bosses admitted today.

They said they were not surprised by the downturn.

The figures confirm the once popular service is dying out because of the growing number of alternative options. Dudley Council increased prices by 37 per cent from £2.55 to £3.50 on September 1. It scrapped plans for a 56 per cent rise which would have seen prices go up from £2.55 to £4 a day.

In January more than 500 pensioners were receiving meals on wheels but the total figure now stands at around the 350 mark.

The authority has not ruled out further price rises.

Councillor Peter Miller, cabinet member for adult and community services, said: “The number of users has fallen again since the introduction of the new prices. 

“I don’t think anyone is surprised and it is pretty much what we expected to happen. 

“The service is costing the council a lot of money to keep running which is why we’ve had no choice but to increase prices even though we know it will deter more people from having meals on wheels.

“The service is basically phasing itself out and dying a natural death due to the number of other companies who now offer a competitive meals service and the chilled and frozen options offered by supermarkets which are competitively priced and can be easily warmed up.”

He added further price rises cannot be ruled out if it is felt they are necessary to ensure the authority can continue running the service in the short term.

Dudley Council has admitted it plans to phase out the service entirely by 2011 rather than sell it as a going concern to a private provider which was being considered.

Dudley’s meals on wheels service the most expensive in the Black Country.

Sandwell charges £3, while in Wolverhampton and Walsall it is £2.49.