SHROPSHIRE Council’s controversial plan to cut £200,000 from the county’s Meals on Wheels service has been put on hold until a review takes place.
The council said Meals on Wheels will not be cut and agreed last week to cover the saving it wanted to make by taking money from its contingency fund.
The review will look into how many people need meals or other services and will decide what savings can be made.
The Shropshire Association of Senior Citizens’ Forums is fighting to safeguard the service, and wants the review to be open and wide-ranging.
There are fears the service could be changed to delivering packs of frozen food to clients.
Forum chairman John Dodson said: “I want everyone to fully understand I don’t belive Meals on Wheels means delivering packets of frozen food.
“I fear a review could be behind closed doors. I want a `task and finish’ group set up by Community Services Scrutiny Committee, then there would be open discussion and a report would go back to cabinet on the findings.”
He added that tomorrow (Thursday) at a Community Services Scrutiny Panel meeting, there is a possibility of setting up such a group.
If so, he says he is pleased, but feels the current assessment of clients who use Meals on Wheels to work out their eligibility should stop until the review is completed.