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Tracy Stinton (centre with petition) and fellow protesters Syed Haque, Francis McNamara, David Roche, Megan Purver, Ewart Field, Mick Farrant
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‘Save our meals on wheels’ protest plea
A LUNCHEON club chef told Camden’s councillors that proposed increases to meal charges would leave the elderly vulnerable.
Tracey Stinton, cook at the Queen’s Crescent Community Centre luncheon club, used a deputation to the Town Hall to say the 21 per cent increase in meal charges proposed by the council’s Lib Dem/Conservative bosses would deter customers and lead to increased isolation among old people.
“Some of them wouldn’t be able to afford it and they’d stop coming in,” she said. “If we didn’t see them on a regular basis we wouldn’t know how they are.”
She was joined by luncheon club pensioners who told a full council last Monday that price increases would mean daily contact and good nutrition for many old people would become unaffordable.
The Lib Dem/Conservative bosses of Camden Council have proposed an increase from £2.40 to £2.90 per meal as part of their council tax freeze pledge for April’s budget.
They argued that Camden’s meals-on-wheels will remain heavily subsidised and cheaper than in neighbouring boroughs.
Social Services boss Cllr Martin Davies responded: “The overall aim is to provide nutritious meals to provide a balanced diet. The increase in the charge that we are talking about is 50p.”
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