COUNCILLORS have agreed to pull the plug on a service that has delivered hot meals and companionship to some of Waverley’s most isolated older people for more that 50 years.

Meals on Wheels is currently run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) from the Brightwells Gostrey Centre in Farnham and delivers 100 hot meals a day, five days a week to the homes of 135 clients, as well as a friendly face and a chat.

But after an in-depth review by Waverley’s community overview and scrutiny committee found a steady decrease in the take-up of Meals on Wheels, the council has agreed to withdraw its £30,000 a year funding.

Surrey County Council has also withdrawn its matched £30,000 per annum funding citing “significant financial challenges” as a result of reductions in its Government grant – effectively ending five decades of Meals on Wheels in the borough.

Waverley has promised to help establish a replacement service shared across some, if not all, of Waverley’s five major day centres - promising freshly cooked meals instead of the current reheated frozen dinners.

But without the county council as a funding partner, Waverley risks taking on the delivery of up to 30,000 meals a year with just half of the existing £60,000 funding in place.

Addressing the council’s executive committee, Jenny Else, Waverley’s portfolio holder for health, well-being and culture, said: “The number of people taking up the current frozen and reheat service has steadily decreased over the last five years.

“But while it is a discretionary service, supporting a meal delivery and visiting service for residents is high on the council’s list of corporate priorities as it helps to promote and support health and well-being among our less able, vulnerable residents.

“It contributes hugely to the ability for people to remain independent and in their own homes, and it was clear throughout the review that apart from the nutritional aspect, for many of the clients the social contact element of the visit was vitally important.

“Social isolation is a huge component in health deterioration so it’s therefore proposed that discussions take place to develop an alternative replacement freshly cooked meal service prepared by some, or all, of the five major day centres in Waverley.”

Mrs Else confirmed it will be the council’s intention to deliver the new service within Waverley’s £30,000 annual grant, and vowed to work with the current group of RVS volunteers for meal delivery and social contact.

“The aim is that following the result of these discussions a new service is up and running by January 1, 2017,” she said. “Thanks go to the many volunteers who have provided this invaluable service in its present form over many years and who have indicated that they will help us to take the new service forward.

“We are of course grateful to the RVS for their continuing input and it’s also important to recognise the day centres’ early interest and enthusiasm for the proposed model of delivery with all the possibilities that will stem from that for them.”

Carole King, Waverley’s portfolio holder for housing, told the meeting: “This report is well overdue in my personal opinion.

“I still fail to understand how a frozen meal reheated in Farnham and delivered in the far reaches of Cranleigh, Godalming, Haslemere and wherever else can be at all appetising?

“Locally fresh cooked food delivered from the day centres is an absolutely spot-on way of tackling it.

“It will also give the day centres the opportunity to expand their outreach service to some of the more hard to reach residents, and I think that is really important.”

Responding to the review, Rebecca Kennelly, director of RVS South, said: “We have been working closely with Waverley Borough Council as they shape their new plans for a meal service for residents currently receiving Meals on Wheels.

“Like us, the council’s priority is the well-being of the older people in the local area and we are pleased they are committed to continuing to provide meals to older people.

Ensuring older people are supported and have access to a meal and vital companionship is of upmost importance to the charity and we will continue to work in partnership with Waverley to achieve this.”