Apology must trigger action to solve hot meals crisis

In the bizarre Alice in Wonderland world of Portsmouth’s Byzantine meals on wheels service, today’s fulsome apology is to be welcomed.

We just hope Andy Biddle saying sorry in a council report is the beginning of the end of a sad chapter in the history of the city’s meals on wheels service.

We have no reason to doubt him.

Mr Biddle is the director of adult social care at Portsmouth City Council and he has apologised ‘unreservedly’ for the short-lived meals on wheels contract which was introduced in April.

It was farcical and left about 160 vulnerable people in the city without hot meals through no fault of their own.

Mr Biddle says: ‘There were clearly lessons in this process and as the director of adult social care I apologise unreservedly to our residents that our service to them was not to the standard it should have been.

‘I also apologise unreservedly for the disruption and concern our residents experienced.’

The contract to provide the meals went to a pub, the Duke of Buckingham in Old Portsmouth.

It began in April and was brought in to replace the longstanding meal deliveries arrangement provided through a company called Apetito.

Now, this might have raised an eyebrow once upon a time, back in the days when local authorities prepared and cooked their own meals for the vulnerable, like here, and also in schools.

But the pub claims it was attempting to provide the service with one, if not both, hands tied behind its back. It was left without vital information about the clients from the previous contract holders, information such as access details and delivery days. There was also a shortage of delivery drivers.

It’s a sorry saga. Let’s hope that with that apology comes action, for the proof of the pudding...