Essex County Council has run up against widespread opposition to its plans to cut meals on wheels services.

Volunteers, delivery men and local authorities gathered at County Hall all in Chelmsford, as part of the county council's attempt to gauge opinion.

Thousands of elderly and infirm people in Castle Point, Basildon, Rayleigh and Rochford will be affected by the drastic moves, which could also bring redundancies.

The most controversial option under consideration would result in pensioners being delivered a batch of frozen meals which they would have to heat up themselves.

Basildon councillor Bob Sears (Lab, Langdon Hills), who attended yesterday's meeting, said van drivers, members of the WRVS and council officers all suspected the county council was looking for ways to save money.

He said: "The feeling we all had was that it would be a backward step to have any sort of cutback in the service.

"We are not luddites but are concerned about the people who are only eligible for meals on wheels if they are unable to prepare their own food. If they got frozen meals they would have to get someone to come in to heat it up."

The meals on wheels service in Essex has been under threat since 1998 when the county council first began looking at ways to alter the service.

A leaked report showed officers at that time favoured the frozen meals option despite extra charges for people who needed help heating up their dinner. The county council has insisted any change will be subject to considerable review and consultation.

A report on the consultation exercise will be produced in July before a decision is made.

Caution urged over meals on wheels

The people working at the heart of meals on wheels have told Essex County Council that personal contact and hot food are two key elements which should be preserved in any shake-up of the service.

The council is considering a number of options to change the system as part of its "best value" report to be published next month.

Options include fortnightly delivery of frozen food, heating the food in transit and even redundancy for staff who prepare the food.

But the council has stressed no decisions will be taken without consultation with those who depend on the service and provide it.

The "hands on" focus group met at County Hall, Chelmsford, on Monday to add its input.

The group included the women who deliver the meals, cooks, borough and county councillors, representatives from the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and social services.

Chairman of Colchester Council's housing, community, safety and health policy panel Sonia Lewis described the meeting as "very positive".

"The important message was that no decisions have been made yet and every option under the best value policy has to be considered," she said.

Mrs Lewis said discussion showed the whole group were certainly "singing from the same hymn sheet".

"Whatever the meals on wheels service is in the future, the personal contact of delivery is considered most important, as is making sure the meals are hot so that the elderly can eat them there and then," she said.

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