Aberavon AM reminds residents to have their say on residential care home closure.

In July, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council released details of a cabinet report which included a recommendation by officers to open a consultation on the closure of Arwelfa Residential care home in Croeserw which could result in local authority provided care coming to an end in the Afan Valley. In 2010, when the local authority consulted on transferring its residential care services to the then Gwalia Group, it was clearly stated that a new residential home would be established in the upper Afan Valley to replace Arwelfa. This resulted in a contractual agreement starting in April 2012 which included consideration of a new residential care home to be located in the upper Afan Valley. This proposal will reverse that position and take away opportunities for residents in the upper Afan Valley to enjoy life in their latter years within the communities they have been raised in.

In August Mr Rees, Assembly Aberavon for Aberavon, local councillors and many residents of the Afan Valley attended a public meeting on the proposed closure of Arwelfa residential care home and voiced their concerns and objections about the proposed closure, and it is now vitally important that residents of the upper Afan Valley, and around Aberavon put their views to the consultation before it closes this Friday 16^th September 2016.

David Rees AM said: “It is of utmost importance that the views of the residents of the upper Afan Valley are heard on the proposed closure of Arwelfa as this directly affects their community. Arwelfa is a vital part of the community in Croeserw, and the wider Afan Valley, and is a fantastic opportunity for local people to continue to live in their community in later life when they are unable to stay in their homes. In addition, many people in the Afan Valley do not have access to their own vehicle which makes travelling to other residential care homes within the county borough difficult, and at times such a journey to visit loved ones no longer able to live at home could take hours. I have expressed my objections to this consultation and I urge residents of the Afan Valley to do the same.”

http://neath-porttalbot-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/sshh/arwelfa_and_trem-y-glyn_residential_care_homes_consultation

 ***ENDS***