FURTHER to letters regarding the council’s decision to stop serving lunchtime meals at four sheltered housing accommodation sites, I wanted to reassure readers that no one who currently uses the lunch service will be left without a suitable meal when the service stops.

We have been discussing options with residents over the past few months, following a significant reduction in the number of people buying our lunchtime meals and dissatisfaction with the quality and variety of the food.

Only 71 people opt for our lunch service and falling numbers mean that the council is subsidising the service by £50,000 a year, a cost we simply cannot afford.

I understand that change can be unsettling and we are working with customers and their families to ensure that everyone has a suitable lunchtime alternative: there are a number of commercial and community organisations that can provide better quality meals and with more choice than at present.

We are also conscious of the importance of the social interactions provided by the lunchtime dining arrangements and will be working with residents, accommodation managers and community groups to arrange extra social activities in their place.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones Director of Health and Wellbeing City of York Council.