A DECISION to charge OAPs more money to have hot meals delivered to their door has been called in by concerned councillors.

Ceredigion council’s 2018/19 budget was approved, despite concerns from councillors over a range of issues, including a £1 rise in the cost of Meals@Home and how the council will fund £70,000 for additional translation services.

Councillors backed the proposed draft budget, which had been agreed by council Cabinet members and scrutiny committees, and a council tax rise of 4.95 per cent.

But there were threats that unhappy councillors could call-in decisions, including the planned price increase for Meals@Home.

Call-ins have now been received over the increase in cost of Meals@Home and an increase in harbour mooring fees and they were due to be discussed at meetings held on Monday, 5 and Tuesday, 6 March.

Cllr Lyndon Lloyd had criticised the decision to impose a £1 increase per meal, saying that many pensioners had said they could not afford £7 and would have to stop receiving the meals.

He said that could backfire on the council and mean more vulnerable people would require more care at home, which would end up costing the council even more.

But despite Cllr Lloyd wanting to propose an amendment to the recommendations, he was told he would have to instead call-in the Cabinet decision.

Questions were also raised over the need for the council to find £70,000 to increase the translation service available to ensure that papers presented to the council’s planning committee are translated into Welsh to meet Welsh Language Standards.

Councillors have questioned which department will have to find that money, with chief executive Eifion Evans saying it was a “political” decision about where the money would be found.

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