A HALSTEAD councillor has slammed the decision to axe the “life-saving” Meals on Wheels service.

Essex County Council will stop running, commissioning or subsidising the service from October.

Users will be directed to alternative providers, but the cost for those who rely on the hot meal service is expected to rise by up to £1,000.

Instead of a subsidised and capped price of £4.20 per meal, those who rel y on the service may have to pay as muc h as £6.90 per meal.

District councillor for Halstead Trinity Jackie Pell said she was angry at the decision as her father had relied on it.

She said: “For my father, it was what kept him in his own home.

“He loved his Meals on Wheels and he looked forward to the person coming. It was his saviour and I know lots of people who are the same.

“There’s only so much you can do when they want to stay in their own home.

“When people are vulnerable it keeps them out of sheltered housing.”

The council commissions the service from Sodexo at £4.20 per meal but the contract ends in September and will not be renewed.

Instead, Essex County Council will create a list of alternative providers “to ensure minimum standards are i n place”.

The council spends about £300,000 each year on the service but plans to slash this to about £70,000.

Mrs Pell said: “I think it’s a shortsighted decision. It will cause a lot of anguish for families who can’t do anything more than what they are doing.

“Do they know what it’s like for old people to have to survive on their own?

"They will one day."

Last year, as part of a pilot scheme , the council removed the service from 143 people, with Sodexo closing its Colchester depot.

Alternative providers were found fo r 89 people, although how much they had to pay is not included in the report.

Others had to rely on support from family members, carers or use frozen meals.

Essex County Council has to make millions of pounds in cuts and raise council tax to balance the books after being given less money from Govern- ment but more responsibilities.

A spokesman for County Hall suggested other providers may be able to do a better job at preventing the social isolation experienced by many who rely on Meals on Wheels.

Dick Madden, councillor responsible for adults, said: “We remain committed to ensuring our older residents across the county have access to an affordable end nutritious hot meal.”