The Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services has visited Cwrt yr Orsaf in Pontypridd to see the excellent facilities being delivered by investing in Extra Care – and also commented on the major funding for Social Services and additional carers’ pay included in next year’s Budget.
Councillor Gareth Caple was recently appointed as a member of the Cabinet team, and has taken the opportunity to visit the new Cwrt yr Orsaf facility on Monday, March 14. He was given a warm welcome by staff members, and toured the building to see the impressive new facilities – as well as meeting some of the residents who are benefitting from the state-of-the-art setting.
Ongoing £50m investment in Extra Care
Cwrt yr Orsaf is the latest development to be delivered by the Council and its partner Linc Cymru (Linc), within a commitment to deliver 300 Extra Care beds across Rhondda Cynon Taf in a £50m investment. It is part of the Council’s wider effort to modernise residential services for older people.
Extra Care helps older people live as actively and independently as possible, with 24/7 on-site support for residents’ assessed needs. Each facility includes a range of on-site amenities and intends to create a community within each building, while promoting meaningful interaction within the wider community.
Cwrt yr Orsaf welcomed its first residents in October 2021, after construction of the 60-bed facility was completed on the former Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court site. Benefitting from significant funding from Welsh Government’s Integrated Care Fund, it has become Rhondda Cynon Taf’s third Extra Care facility, alongside Ty Heulog in Talbot Green and Maesyffynnon in Aberaman.
The Council and Linc are also committed to delivering an Extra Care provision in Porth, Mountain Ash and Treorchy in the future. The next to be delivered will be at the former Dan y Mynydd Care Home site in Porth, where the existing buildings have been demolished. Linc held a community consultation held in August 2021 and received planning permission in December 2021.
Extra funding for Social Services and carers’ pay in Budget
The Cabinet Member’s visit to Cwrt yr Orsaf came shortly after the Council’s 2022/23 Budget was agreed by Elected Members on Wednesday, March 9 – and it includes an additional £15m funding allocated to Council Social Services (including community services) in Rhondda Cynon Taf next year.
This allocation includes additional resources to address increasing demands – by further developing the workforce, supporting ongoing service remodelling and integration, and helping prevent children from becoming looked after.
The 2022/23 Budget also raises the minimum rate of pay above the Real Living Wage, increasing this level to £10 per hour from April 1, 2022 – and applies to the Council’s own staff plus commissioned social care staff.
Furthermore, Welsh Government announced in February that around 53,000 care workers across Wales will receive a £1,000 bonus from April 2022, which will be made to registered care home and home care workers.
Councillor Gareth Caple, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, said: “I’d like to thank the staff and residents at Cwrt yr Orsaf for their very warm welcome on Monday. It was fantastic to visit the modern facilities of this Extra Care development, and experience the bright and colourful environment – with a real sense of community – there to be enjoyed. This all comes with the reassurance that 24/7 support is available for each resident’s own assessed needs, thanks to the dedication of the staff.
“We remain absolutely committed to investing £50m, in partnership with Linc, to deliver 300 Extra Care beds across five new developments in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Maesyffynnon in Aberaman was the first to open its doors to residents at the height of the pandemic in summer 2020 – with new facilities for Porth, Mountain Ash and Treorchy also planned for the future.
“The scheme for Porth will be at the former Dan y Mynydd Care Home site, where existing buildings were demolished in 2021 to ensure the land is development-ready. Linc hosted a consultation with the community in August – so residents could find out more and have their say on the plans – and subsequently submitted a planning application. This was considered and approved by the Planning and Development Committee in December.
“It was also very pleasing to see a real commitment to Social Services in the Council’s agreed Budget for 2022/23. An extra £15m has been allocated for the service next year, while the level of pay for carers will rise above the Real Living Wage. These are important commitments to recognise the dedication and commitment of staff, and to encourage more people into the vocation.
“The Council has been a Real Living Wage employer for many years, and that was extended in December 2021 to apply to all social care staff employed by our commissioned service providers. It is fantastic that our own Council staff as well as those commissioned social care staff will now benefit from the pay increase from April 2022, as the Council further invests in this priority service.”
Hazel Davies, Service Manager of Linc’s extra care provision in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: “We are delighted to have been joined by Councillor Caple today at Cwrt yr Orsaf.
“Since opening in October 2021, we have enjoyed seeing our residents create a vibrant and friendly community. Our scheme here in Pontypridd provides high quality homes that enable residents to live independently, while knowing that help is on hand if they need it.
“Our partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council shows their commitment to providing homes that meet the needs of local people.”
Posted on 16/03/2022