Plans to transform services for older people in Neath Port Talbot are set to take a major step forward this week. On 9th June, the Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve a revised proposal to improve residential care in the county borough.
The decision will follow three months of consultation with residents of existing Council care homes, their relatives, residential care staff, trades unions and the wider communities of Neath Port Talbot.
Cabinet will be asked to consider plans to transfer the existing council run homes to a partner provider, who would then work with the Council to build four new homes in the county borough (instead of the three which were originally proposed). The new provider would run these homes together with Danybryn in Pontardawe.
The new homes would provide residential care, respite and residential re-ablement in modern, safe, fit-for-purpose buildings, designed to promote privacy and dignity.
If the proposal is agreed, there will be two new 60 bedded homes, one in Neath and one in Port Talbot. In addition there will be a further 60 beds divided between a new residential home in the Vale of Neath and a new facility in the Afan Valley, which would provide residential care integrated with a supported housing facility.
It is anticipated that the revised proposal will be well received by the communities of the Afan Valley and the Vale of Neath as both areas will benefit from continued local service provision in up-to-date facilities.
Council Leader Ali Thomas said:
“We believe that the key principles of our original proposal are sound and continue to present the best solution for delivering a residential care service which is fit for the 21st century.
“However, we have conducted a comprehensive consultation, the feedback from which has played an important part in influencing the recommendations to Cabinet. In the interests of serving the needs of our valleys communities, we have revised the proposal to include the additional new home.
“We want to ensure that people living in Neath Port Talbot have equality of access to high class services and are confident that the revised proposal can achieve this.”
Subject to the agreement of Cabinet, the next step will be to enter into a process to identify a suitable partner which shares the Council’s values and whose core principles serve the interests of the residents of Neath Port Talbot, in providing appropriate, sustainable and cost effective Residential Care.
