Meals on wheels could be cut next year under proposals put forward by Barnet council.

People who rely on the service, currently provided by Sodexo, are being consulted on plans to end it from March 2016 in a bid to save money.

The authority says there has been a 33 per cent fall in people using the service in the past five years, from 326 at the end of 2010 to the current 216 who use it.

Roger Tichborne, whose mother used the service until her death in 2008, criticised the council for the “appalling” proposal.

Writing on the Barnet Eye blog, he said: “This is appalling. It undermines the independence of the elderly and will cause untold stress.”

Councillor Sachin Rajput, chairman of the adults and safeguarding committee, said: “The scale of the financial challenge facing the council means we have to look very carefully at every service the council currently provides.

“In recent years we have also seen a fall in the number of people receiving the paid for Home Meals Service as residents are increasingly choosing their meals from the wide range of other choices now open to them.

“We are consulting with residents and voluntary organisations at the moment to gather their views on the proposal not to continue our meals service contract when it expires in March 2016, and these will be considered by the adults and safeguarding committee later in the year before a decision is taken.”

Cllr Rajput added: “We will also be visiting everyone currently receiving the service to explain the proposal and to talk through which other options would best suit them should the proposal be agreed - for example lunch clubs or other catering companies.

“In some instances the council would support people with meals at home if it is the only option appropriate for them.”