Social services chief withdraws from debate on meals service
Mar 17 2009 by Joanne Travis, Birmingham Post
The politician responsible for running Birmingham social services was forced to withdraw from a debate yesterday into her plan to phase out the council-run meals on wheels service after being implicated in helping to promote a private sector fast food alternative.
Sue Anderson acted on legal advice and did not take part in a cabinet discussion. Her decision followed an incident earlier in the year when Liberal Democrat activists in her Sheldon ward distributed thousands of leaflets advertising Wiltshire Foods - a firm which offers daily deliveries of hot and cold foods to housebound people.
The company is likely to be bidding for one of several contracts the council intends to offer to private firms who are prepared to take on Birmingham’s meals on wheels service, which delivers to about 1,000 clients.
The cabinet rubber-stamped a controversial plan to end council meals on wheels by April 2012.
People receiving frozen meals, which they heat in a microwave, will be handed a list of alternative private providers next year. Those receiving hot meals will move to private provision in 2012.
The move is not designed to save money but to make better use of scarce resources according to Peter Hay, the council strategic director for adults and communities. Mr Hay said a large proportion of elderly people already preferred the greater choice offered by the private sector. The council meals service was also unable to offer appropriate meals for the city’s black and multi-ethnic population, he said.
Birmingham will be following the example of most other UK cities who have dispensed with council-run meals services for elderly people.
Mr Hay added that growth in the number of people over the age of 80 meant the council could not afford to offer a comprehensive meals service.
He said: “The money we save will be reinvested into services for elderly people. We want to see an expansion in the range and choice of meals, that is absolutely in our interest. Other councils provide meals quite successfully in a mixed market.”
But opposition Labour group leader Sir Albert Bore warned that “the most vulnerable people in society” would find themsleves paying far more for meals from the private sector. He claimed that Coun Anderson faced a difficult conflict of interest and should play no further part in decision-making on meals provision. Sir Albert (Lab Ladywood) said: “We will see individuals facing huge increases in the cost of food delivered to their homes whether they are receiving hot or frozen meals. There is a client group out there that this council wll be putting at risk. I see this as a question of priorities. These people have to be a long-term priority for the council.”
About 40 jobs are at risk at Direct Meals, the council’s food delivery service.
