A FORMER mayor has hit out at council plans to increase the cost of Southend’s meals on wheels service.

Nora Goodman, who volunteers for the service, is supporting the Southend District Pensioner’s Campaign group in its protest against Southend Council plans to increase the price of the meals from £3 to £4.50 a day.

The rise, currently the subject of a consultation, will mean 300 people in Southend would have to pay the full cost of the meals, saving the council £168,000 a year.

It could mean those in need paying an extra £550 a year if the increase is agreed at a full council meeting on March 1.

Mrs Goodman, 75, of Chesterfield Crescent, East- -wood, delivers 24 meals to people on and around the Kursaal Estate two days a week.

She said: “This is a vital service for elderly people who can’t get out. I have a blind man on my round and he and others who can’t get out themselves rely on it because they can’t cook for themselves.

“Many can only just afford the £3 a day so this rise will be astronomical to elderly people who are on pensions.

“They won’t be able to afford the meals.”

David Stansfield, treasurer of the Pensioner’s Campaign, said: “This is something the whole town should campaign against. Meals on wheels are delivered to those in need, meaning they are unable to properly feed themselves, on the referral of responsible people in the medical profession, doctors and district nurses.

“Although it may be true some recipients can afford the service, it is equally true some cannot.

“The basic state pension will be £105.40 a week from April. The current cost of seven day’s lunches is £21. After the subsidy is removed it will be £31.50 or 30 per cent of the pension.

“The definition of fuel poverty is 10 per cent of income so is this not a case of food deprivation?”

Lesley Salter, councillor responsible for adult social care, health and housing, said: “This is the main meal of the day for the people who use this service and it is not unreasonable to ask them to pay for the cost of providing it.

“Should any people face particular hardship as a result of the subsidy being removed, we would look at ways of assisting them so that they were not adversely affected. We have asked opposition groups to come up with credible alternatives that would enable us to avoid having to remove the subsidy.”