Pensioner fears for future as Gloucestershire weekly meals on wheels service ends
Watch Ken Goodwin's report
A pensioner from Gloucestershire says he's worried about where he'll get his food from after the meals on wheels service he used will no longer operate.
Apetito, the company which supplies the meals, is pulling out of its contract with Gloucestershire County Council and is making 23 staff redundant as a result.
It says that a reduction in client numbers is no longer financially sustainable.
Phillip Durant, from Witcombe, pays £45 a month to have hot meals to him delivered three times a week. He says for him, the news is a blow.
He told ITV News West Country: "Well I think it’s bad really, because it’s like everything else when they come with cutbacks they don’t stop and think.
"It's always the poor pensioners. Do you know what I mean?"
The move does not just affect private customers like Phillip. It will impact on some of those under the care of the county council too.
Councillor Kathy Williams, cabinet member for adult social care, said: “Unfortunately Apetito has made a business decision to withdraw services at the end of their current contract. The county council is still trying to find an alternative service.
"We have been working with our outgoing provider to make sure all service users can get hot food delivered to them until 31 March (inclusive).
“It’s important to us that individuals have a say over their care, and we have written to all service users to offer alternatives to community meals and explain some might be eligible for reassessments and domiciliary care visits under the Care Act.
"We appreciate this difficult news and we thank service users for their patience while we work through this challenge.”
Apetito limited says the company, which has worked with the Gloucestershire County Council since 2016 in the provision of meals on wheels to Council customers, has confirmed that it declined to extend its contract to supply the service, after the current contract expires at the end of March 2023.
With the reduced numbers being available for a new tender, apetito has unfortunately had to make the decision not to submit a future tender proposal.
The company said that it was with regret that a consultation period has now ended with its Gloucestershire depot, with 23 employees being served notices of redundancy.