Poor City of York Council. Wherever it tries to make much-needed cash cuts to balance the books, it faces a barrage of opposition.

Cutting or trimming services or facilities to save money is never a popular move. Someone will always be hurt or aggrieved by it. But then it also hurts when the council tax is increased to maintain levels of service.

That is the dilemma facing our city fathers who appear to be desperately pouncing on all that residents hold sacred in an effort to make economies.

After a public outcry the council has retreated from the idea of selling the Lord Mayor's unique car number plate, DN 1. It is still reeling from stiff opposition over proposals to shut down at least one of the city's swimming pools.

But this time York council is definitely off target. It must not - repeat, NOT - go ahead with plans to have food shuttled into old people's homes from the kitchens of York District Hospital.

Councillors should not penny pinch with the lifestyle of the most vulnerable sector of society.

Imagine being condemned for the rest of your life to a diet of warmed up meals from a limited menu drawn up by someone else.

This unsatisfactory form of meals on wheels would inevitably mean reheated food and a reduced menu choice for people whose appetites can so easily be upset.

No matter how tasty and nutritious the food prepared at the hospital, its meals can only suffer from a journey across the city.

Mealtimes are eagerly awaited occasions as the highlight of humdrum days for many of the old people in council homes.

These people are not waiting for God - they are waiting for dinner time with hot, tasty, freshly-cooked food.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.