Tower Hamlets Council has won a top sustainability prize in the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) Awards for its work in providing vulnerable people with healthy and organic meals. The Council cooks meals fresh each day and delivers hot meals 365 days a year. Judges said the service was “a model for others to follow”, though Tower Hamlets is the only Council in London to do this.
The Council was commended for a number of specific achievements. One of these was its work during the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012, when the Council ensured a reliable Meals on Wheels service continued to operate even when roads were shut at short notice. The systems the Council developed to do this have been applied by other public bodies organising major events in London such as the London Marathon and the Tour de France.
When he congratulated the staff whose work was recognised by the Award, John Biggs chosen not to mention the fact that this work was done when elected Mayor Lutfur Rahman was in charge of Tower Hamlets Council. Biggs gave Mayor Rahman no credit at all, saying, “The hard work our contract services team do to keep costs down and still provide nutritious and delicious meals should be highly commended. The rest of London could learn a thing from us.” Ominously, Biggs went on to hint that the service may not be safe in the future, saying, “The Meals on Wheels service we provide is the last in London and so we fully understand that we need to make sure that it is financially sustainable.” Just days later, the Council began a consultation on which services it should cut in next year’s budget.
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