Meals idea gets good review

By Shaun Inguanzo
A MASSIVE Meals on Wheels kitchen servicing councils across the state has the official support of Greater Dandenong Council.
Star revealed in September that councillors had visited Queensland to inspect a similar operation already under way.
On Monday night, councillors voted in favour of supporting the project, which could see up to 21 councils involved in creating a large kitchen that promises a range of social and economical benefits.
Meals on Wheels provides affordable yet nutritional meals to elderly and isolated residents, and is primarily a local government responsibility in Victoria.
A report to council on Monday night stated that the unified kitchen was not only a means to cheaper, mass-produced meals, but a response to the realisation that local government would continue to run Meals on Wheels.
“Over the past five years local governments requiring the provision of meals through a tendering process have identified that there are a limited number of quality providers with some councils having to retender due to lack of response,” the report read.
“Private providers are unable to deal with the simultaneous social, health and welfare issues associated with the delivery of meals.”
The kitchen would pump out a minimum of 1.3 million meals each year, but is not expected to be fully operational until July 2009.
A site is yet to be determined.