CUTTING meals on wheels for the elderly is “an attack on our community’s most vulnerable”, an opposition councillor has claimed.

As of yesterday (July 31) Redbridge Council is no longer providing its community meals service to the 197 people in the borough who need it.

The council says it can “no longer afford” the £207,000 a year needed to run the service because of rising costs and a declining number of people using it.

Anyone who used to get meals on wheels will now be assessed to see how their needs can met in other ways.

But Conservative opposition Councillor Suzanne Nolan claims cutting the meals will mean more problems further down the line.

The Snaresbrook Cllr said: “It’s not about meals on wheels for a lot of these people, it’s about the only visit they get during the day – the only person they get to talk to.

“It’s going to make elderly people more and more isolated and create more problems that will end up costing us more in the long run.

“People won’t eat properly, they’ll get frailer, and we’ll have to spend more on caring for them.”

The council claims people who are able to go out and buy their own meals will be signposted to the right places and anyone who cannot will be catered for within the social care budget.

But Cllr Nolan says external providers will be more expensive and will not offer the same friendly face.

She added: “The meals on wheels staff can spot if someone is unwell or if something is not quite right.

“But those things might get missed now.

“Did they consider asking people to pay a bit more for their meals instead of cutting them all together?

“They promised they wouldn’t cut frontline services, but this is a front line service they are cutting.

“It’s an attack on our community’s most vulnerable and the elderly are getting a raw deal.”

A council spokesman said that after a consultation with service users, staff and charities, they were left with “no option” but to stop it.

They said: “The council finds itself in a very difficult situation – it’s income from central Government has fallen by 40 per cent.

“This has meant we have had to make some difficult decisions in these tough times.

“We looked at many different ways to continue the service, but none were financially possible, so we had to close the service and support residents in other ways.

“We know this may be an unsettling time for some users and their families, but we will be providing as much support as necessary to make the transition to alternative options as smooth as possible.”

Is someone you know being affected by the cuts?

  • Email our reporter on lara.keay@london.newsquest.co.uk