Provision of a Pan Disability Core & Cluster Scheme

An award has been made by Neath Port Talbot Council for the delivery of a Core and Cluster Service for up to six people in the Neath Abbey area of the borough, with the possibility of further expansion in the cluster element of the service to wider clusters in the locality. These individuals will have a range of needs in line with their respective pen pictures but may include individuals with mental health, physical disability and learning disability needs but would nonetheless be individuals who, it is felt, would be able to live independently, in time, with varying levels of support.

The Core and Cluster Service model aims to offer more intensive support (at the ‘core’) while at the same time offering less intensive ‘domiciliary care’ type care support, including floating support for people living in the community in “the Cluster” elements of the Service.

In this case the Core will be a bungalow for up to two people with an office area, offering a 24 hours presence and the ‘Cluster’ being four self-contained flats for up to four individuals or couples. Over time this Cluster of four may be expanded to include further clusters in the community which are also served by the base located at the Core, and when this is so, any additional clusters will also form a part of this Agreement. Bidders should note that on contract award only the Core element of two individuals will require support, and its currently felt the Cluster elements of four plus requiring support around the first quarter of 2023/24.

It should be noted that there are no current plans for the provision of Housing Related Support funding through the Housing Support Grant (HSG), although it is recognised that current or subsequent Service Users may require this support at some future time, so it is felt that Tenderers should be familiar with the delivery of Housing Related Support. The Council reserves the right to include Housing Related Support as part of the delivery of the service at any future time.

The Registered Social Landlord (RSL) for the property is First Choice Housing and the Provider will be required to maintain a Management Agreement with First Choice for the duration of the Agreement.

As this is a new Service, there will be no TUPE requirements and the successful Tenderer will therefore be required to either recruit new Staff or to redeploy existing staff to the Service to ensure a fully functional service from day one of the Agreement.

The contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with the option to extend by period or periods not exceeding a further 60 months.

There are no Lot requirements.