PENSIONERS in the Vale of Glamorgan will soon be eating food cooked in prison instead of from the council's meals on wheels service.

A meal delivery service from the kitchens at HMP Parc Prison in Bridgend will replace the on wheels supplied by the Vale of Glamorgan council after cabinet approved to stop their provision and use social enterprise Food Shed at a meeting today.

Young offenders will now cook up the "healthy" freshly cooked meals in the jail kitchens.

The meals on wheels service in the Vale of Glamorgan has 77 customers – but last year spent £37,500 over its budget.

But now council chiefs hope to save tens of thousands of pounds by getting the meals from the Food Shed company cooked by young inmates.

A main meal and dessert from The Food Shed costs £4.75.

The council considered four options including continuing with the current system which they deemed not financially viable.

They also considered increasing revenue to meet costs but that would mean a rise to £8.99 per meal which they say is "a lot of money."

The third option was to increased demand but they judged that they would have to sell 529 meals just to break even and would require a 95 per cent in demand.

Bronwen Brooks, council cabinet member for housing and social care and health, insisted people were increasingly choosing to use alternative suppliers who could provide more flexibility and choice.

And she said the move would mean spending on more critical areas of adult social care could be protected.

"Although residents have to pay for the meals they receive, the meals on wheels service runs at a financial loss and so is a significant cost for the council's social services department – around £50,000 each year," she said.

"What we are now proposing is that we direct those customers that are still using the council-run service to some of the alternatives on offer and cease providing it ourselves.

"A new social enterprise has emerged which will deliver a freshly-prepared hot meal.

For people who opt to use this new provider it will mean they will continue to get a hot meal although it will be delivered by someone else.

"Arguably this will be an improvement upon the service we provide as it can operate every day of the week, is open to anyone who wants it, and is freshly prepared."

But Plaid Cymru councillor Ian Johnson, vice-chair of the healthy living and social care committee blasted the proposals saying the council should stop "penny-pinching" on services.

"The meals on wheels service ensures that older people have a nutritious hot meal, and helps well-being of those who often can’t leave their home or don’t see many people during the day.

"Instead of promoting the service to make sure that there are enough users to keep it viable, Labour have decided to close it because it loses money.

"The Vale council has around £80 million in reserves but want to close a service that loses £40,000 per year.

"They should stop penny-pinching on services that matter to people."

The report presented to cabinet said: "The Food Shed organisation is keen to extend its current operation into all areas of the Vale of Glamorgan and currently has capacity to do so.

"The number of people who use the meals on wheels service has decreased in recent years.

"The service currently delivers approximately 45 meals each weekday.

"This is a significant reduction from the average of 112 meals per day which were provided in 2012."