Serving up change as community meals are scrutinised

10.19.14am GMT Fri 23rd May 2008

Cllr Anna Davies

• MOVES to increase choice, quality and value-for-money of the Community Meals Service follow an in-depth investigation by a Scrutiny Task Group.

The Group held seven sessions spread over nine months and received evidence from Council officers, representatives from other local authorities, voluntary organisations, meals contractors, and industry experts. They also visited a number of day centres and held meal-tasting sessions as Members wanted to examine, in detail, the range of foods on offer as well as checking the views of meals recipients. Community meals are provided at home, and in day centres, to some of the borough's most vulnerable residents. The Task Group was charged with the investigation in July 2007 and completed its work in two phases. The final report was presented to the Council's Cabinet this week (May 12), where the majority of the Task Group's 17 recommendations were agreed.

Cllr Sue Jones, Chair of the Adult Social Care and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, who served on the Task Group, said: "This was a thorough investigation, one of the most detailed ever undertaken by the scrutiny process in this borough. And I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the work of the Task Group under the tireless efforts of its Chair, Cllr Anna Davies. We were all motivated by a desire to improve the standard of meals supplied to our residents both in their own homes and in our day centres. The meal-tasting sessions gave the Task Group a chance to sample the range of different foods on offer and scrutinise and analyse for nutritional content, general quality and presentation. Our suggestions for change, covering a wide range of issues, will, I believe, result in a great improvement in choice, quality and value-for-money for our residents. I am delighted that most of our recommendations are being taken forward, including the use of fresh vegetables for meals served at Intensive Day Centres."