Baleira definitively approves the regulations for the "Xantar na Casa" (Dining at Home) service

The Baleira City Council (Lugo) has definitively approved the regulations for the “Xantar na Casa” (Dining at Home) program, a home-delivered meal service aimed at elderly people, dependents, and those at risk of social exclusion. The agreement, initially adopted in an ordinary plenary session on June 3, 2026, and made definitive after the public information process concluded without objections, was published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Lugo, number 187, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, under reference R. 2206.

The text, signed by Mayor Ángel Enrique Martínez-Puga López on August 7, 2026, develops the collaboration agreement signed on February 7, 2025, between the Galician Consortium of Equality and Welfare Services and the Baleira City Council. The service is organized with the collaboration of the Department of Social Policy and complements the municipal home help, with the objective of maintaining people’s autonomy and delaying possible institutionalization.

Beneficiaries and requirements

The service is available to people registered and residing in Baleira who meet any of the following requirements:

• People over 60 years of age with limited personal autonomy and no support network.
• Dependent people who lack family support and require help preparing food.
• People under 60 years of age in a situation of social exclusion, technically assessed by municipal social services.

Applications may be submitted at any time of the year at the general registry of the City Council, either in person or via the electronic office, and must be accompanied by documentation such as the DNI, health card, registration certificate and, if applicable, disability and dependency certificates.

Operation and financing

The meals will be delivered one day a week in individual microwave-safe containers, including a first course, second course, and dessert, with balanced menus adaptable to the needs of each user. Delivery will preferably take place between 09:00 and 14:30, and beneficiaries will have access to a telephone support line open 365 days a year (900 400 429).

The service is funded by three parties:

• User contribution: 26.67%.
• City Council contribution: 26.67%.
• Xunta contribution to the Consortium: 46.66%.

Beneficiaries will pay the amount of each monthly fee directly to the contracting company, in advance, within the first ten days of each month.

Rights, obligations, and cancellations

The regulations outline the rights of users, such as non-discriminatory access, dignified treatment, data confidentiality, and the possibility of leaving the service of their own volition. Obligations include paying the monthly fee, reporting changes in situation, and authorizing delivery personnel to access the home.

Voluntary or temporary withdrawals must be communicated to the social worker 15 calendar days in advance, and the temporary suspension may not exceed 45 days unless there are justified reasons. The service may be terminated due to death, resignation, repeated failure to pay two installments, or change of address to another municipality, among other causes.

Relevance for the municipality

The final approval of this regulation consolidates in Baleira a service that responds to a need detected by the municipal social services: the growing number of dependent people living alone and with inadequate nutrition. By guaranteeing a balanced meal in the home itself, the program contributes to improving the quality of life of elderly people and those at risk of exclusion, providing respite for caregiver families and avoiding unnecessary admissions, in a rural municipality where dispersion and isolation are key factors.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Lugo, no. 187, August 18, 2026, section Municipality of Baleira (official reference: R. 2206).