Plea to save vulnerable residents’ food ‘lifeline’

A “lifeline” for vulnerable residents living at three Kirklees Council-owned housing schemes could end, as the local authority is considering cutting a catering service to save money.

The council’s Extra Care housing schemes – at Meadow Green, Heckmondwike, Sandy Mount, Crosland Moor, and Woodland Court, Dewsbury – provide more than 40 rented flats. They are generally for the over-50s with care and/or support needs and are designed to help people maintain their independence.

As well as the flats, each scheme provides communal facilities including a tenant lounge and activity and exercise rooms, along with a commercial-quality catering kitchen and dining room facility.

The catering offer, called the Bistro Service, operates at each of the three sites, providing breakfast and hot lunches every day of the year, and a means to socialise.

This is for use by tenants within the schemes and there is no service charge for them. Staff and the public are charged for using the service.

However, Kirklees Council says it is “unable to continue putting money towards the service”.

The authority says that around a third of people living in the scheme use the Bistro Service and that the average daily income across all three schemes is £300.

From March, the council says “after taking into account the average daily income, the cost of running the service for one year is estimated to be £194,000”. This equates to £530 a day to cover the three schemes.

This information is in a public consultation document which offers two options for the future of the service.

One would see the service scrapped, which has raised major concerns.

While flats come with their own kitchens, a member of the public who wished to remain anonymous described the catering service as a “lifeline” for many residents.

Fears have been raised that people will be left struggling to access a daily hot meal and social interaction if the service is no longer provided.

The second option would see the introduction of a service charge for tenants to cover the full costs of the Bistro Service.

This would be payable regardless of whether the tenant used the service and residents would also have to pay for their meals, albeit at a reduced rate.

Prices would also be increased for staff and members of the public choosing to eat meals from the service.

The consultation came to an end in November, with the vast majority of respondents stating they were not in favour of either option.

Commenters urged the local authority to consider catering provision from a third party and the council’s website states that this is being looked into.

A final decision is expected to be made in the coming months.

Kirklees Council was approached for comment.

Last September Kirklees Council said it faced “really tough decisions” as it looks to save £47.8m in next year's budget.

Graham Turner, cabinet member for finance, said the alternative for the local authority was to "do a Birmingham" and declare itself effectively bankrupt.