NEWPORT Mayor Paul Cockeram (pictured) said the council would not back down on its decision to axe its funding for the city's meals-on-wheels service.

But he vowed to do all he could to ensure Newport's elderly are not left isolated when the service comes to an end in June.

The city mayor, speaking as the council's champion of older people, claimed he was like a "terrier with a bone" over the issue.

He said: "I feel passionately about this. But I'm sure it's more about the social contact than the meals.

"We need to get old people back out into the communities, at community centres and sheltered schemes, not stuck in their homes."

Councillor Cockeram has agreed to meet WRVS volunteers to discuss ways and means of ensuring their social contact with the elderly could continue.

Last week the Argus revealed the council was to cut funding for the service to save £114,000.

It is the first authority in Wales to do so.

Councillor Cockeram admitted the council's decision to cut the funding for the WRVS-run service was done with "a gun to the head" due to a tight budget.

But he said he believed it was the right decision.

He said: "The service has been in decline for a number of years, even if efficiency savings were not an issue, at some point we would have had to reconsider the funding.

"Out of what may seem like a bad thing, good things can come. Every elderly person currently receiving the meals will now be reassessed by social services.

"They will not be left starving."

He added: "We have invested £200,000 in improving home care services. We are not an uncaring, elderly-bashing authority.

"As older people's champion I know we need to open up a dialogue and listen to people, and I can guarantee that I will do that."

On the question of whether the council would consider reversing the decision he reiterated that it was the right decision.