Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Un o egwyddorion sylfaenol democratiaeth leol yw bod gan bob person yr hawl a'r cyfle i fod yn rhan o'r strwythurau a'r prosesau sy'n effeithio ar eu bywydau. Mae datblygiadau mewn technoleg ddigidol yn cynnig cyfleoedd newydd a gwahanol i unigolion gymryd rhan weithredol yn eu cymunedau tra'n galluogi trefniadau mwy hyblyg i awdurdodau lleol weithredu mewn gwahanol ffyrdd. Gwn fod llawer o awdurdodau lleol eisoes yn gwneud defnydd rhagorol o dechnoleg ddigidol wrth ddarparu gwasanaethau.


Er hynny, mae cyfle hefyd i fanteisio ar y defnydd o ddulliau ac offer digidol i gefnogi mwy o ymgysylltu mewn prosesau democrataidd o ran cynrychiolaeth ddemocrataidd a chynnwys dinasyddion. Mae pandemig Covid\-19 wedi dangos pa mor bwysig ydyw inni groesawu'r dull hwn a thrawsnewid democratiaeth a chreu amgylchedd lle mae  rhwystrau i gyfranogiad yn cael eu dileu, bod atebion yn cael eu datblygu a manteision yn cael eu gwireddu.


Mae pandemig COVID\-19 wedi amlygu'r anawsterau o ran dibynnu ar ffyrdd traddodiadol o weithio o fewn llywodraeth leol a'r cyfyngiadau sy'n deillio o'r diffyg rhyngweithio digidol rhwng etholwyr a'r rhai a etholwyd i'w cynrychioli.


Mae egwyddorion democratiaeth, tryloywder ac atebolrwydd i ddinasyddion Cymru wrth wraidd Ddeddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021 (Deddf 2021\). Mae nifer o ddarpariaethau sy'n sylfaenol i fwy o dryloywder rhwng cynghorau lleol a chymunedau gan gynnwys trefniadau ar gyfer cyfarfodydd aml\-leoliad.


Mae'r Awdurdodau Lleol wedi gwneud ymdrechion sylweddol i alluogi cyfarfodydd i gael eu cynnal drwy gydol y pandemig hwn.  Mae hyn wedi cynnwys darparu sesiynau hyfforddi ac ymwybyddiaeth i sicrhau bod unigolion yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu cefnogi'n ddigon da i fynd i mewn i fyd a oedd, i lawer, yn fyd gwahanol iawn.  Llwyddodd rhai cynghorau i groesawu cyfarfodydd aml\-leoliad yn gyflymach nag eraill.  Fy nisgwyliad i erioed yw y dylai'r mwyafrif o gyfarfodydd arferol ddigwydd o bell yn ystod cyfyngiadau'r pandemig ac mewn llawer o achosion unwaith y bydd y cyfyngiadau'n cael eu codi. Rwyf wedi dweud ar sawl achlysur na ellir ac na ddylid tanbrisio'r heriau y mae angen i swyddogion ac aelodau eu goresgyn er mwyn sicrhau bod cyfarfodydd yn cael eu cynnal.  Mae'r cyfarfodydd wedi galluogi busnesau i barhau mewn ffordd gyfreithiol a diogel; gan ddangos pwysigrwydd llywodraethiant da, atebolrwydd cryf, cymesuredd a hyblygrwydd. 


Drwy gydol y pandemig mae nifer ohonoch wedi codi pryderon am nifer a math y cyfarfodydd cyngor sydd wedi bod yn digwydd. Yn ystod mis Ebrill a mis Medi 2020, cynhaliodd fy swyddogion ddadansoddiad o gyfarfodydd yr awdurdodau lleol sy'n cael eu cynnal ledled Cymru. Mae'r wybodaeth hon ynghlwm wrth y datganiad hwn (Atodiad A). Ers hynny mae nifer a math y cyfarfodydd a gynhaliwyd wedi parhau i gynyddu ledled Cymru.  


Ochr yn ochr â'r ymdrechion a wnaed gan yr awdurdodau lleol, mae rhai materion y mae angen mynd i'r afael â hwy er mwyn galluogi cynghorau i barhau i sicrhau'r hyblygrwydd mwyaf posibl wrth wneud trefniadau ar gyfer cyfarfodydd.


Fel rhan o'r dyraniadau a wnaed o becyn Cronfeydd Wrth Gefn Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer Ailgreu, roedd £700,000 ar gael i gefnogi'r gwaith o weithredu Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021\.  O hyn, datblygwyd Cronfa Democratiaeth Ddigidol o £500,000 i gefnogi trawsnewid democratiaeth leol yn ddigidol.   


Daeth cyfanswm o 52 o geisiadau gwerth £1,062,622\.74 i law oddi wrth   21 Awdurdod Lleol.      


Rwyf wedi cymeradwyo cyllid ar gyfer nifer o geisiadau gan gynnwys:  


* Uwchraddio ac ailwampio  siambrau ac ystafelloedd cyfarfod y cyngor.
* Offer i alluogi cyfarfodydd hybrid i gael eu cynnal er mwyn i gynghorwyr fod yn fwy effeithlon wrth weithio'n rhithwir, rhoi meddalwedd hygyrchedd ar waith a thrwyddedau ychwanegol i gefnogi fideo\-gynadledda.
* Ymchwil i sut yr hoffai pobl ifanc 16 – 25 oed gael eu cynnwys yn y broses ddemocrataidd;    prynu caledwedd i gynghorwyr fod yn fwy effeithlon wrth weithio yn rhithwir a rhoi  meddalwedd hygyrchedd ar waith.
* Datblygu ap i hwyluso pleidleisio aml\-leoliad mewn cyfarfodydd.
* Datblygu gofod digidol lle y gall cynghorau a'r cyhoedd gyfnewid syniadau.
* Cydweithio ar gyfer bwrw ymlaen â phrosiectau cyfathrebu a hyfforddi






Translation:


 
A fundamental principle of local democracy is every person has the right and the opportunity to be involved in the structures and processes that impact on their lives. Developments in digital technology offer new and different opportunities for individuals to actively participate in their communities while enabling more flexible arrangements for local authorities to operate in different ways. I know that many local authorities are already making excellent use of digital technology in service delivery.


However, there is also the opportunity to exploit the use of digital methods and tools to support greater engagement in democratic processes in terms of both democratic representation and citizen involvement. The Covid\-19 pandemic has illustrated how important it is that we embrace this approach and transform democracy and create an environment where barriers to participation are removed, solutions are developed and benefits realised.


The COVID\-19 pandemic has highlighted the difficulties in relying on traditional ways of working within local government and the restrictions that arise from the lack of digital interaction between electors and those elected to represent them.


The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (The 2021 Act) has, at its core, the principles of democracy, transparency and accountability to the citizens of Wales. There are a number of provisions which are fundamental to greater transparency and openness between local councils and communities including arrangements for multi\-location meetings.


Local Authorities have made significant efforts to enable meetings to take place throughout this pandemic.  This has included providing training and awareness sessions to ensure individuals felt well enough supported to enter, what for many, was a very different world.  Some councils were able to embrace multi\-location meetings more quickly than others.  My expectation has always been the majority of routine meetings should happen remotely both during the pandemic restrictions and in many cases once the restrictions are lifted. I have said on many occasions that the challenges officers and members needed to overcome to ensure meetings took place cannot and should not be underestimated.  The meetings have enabled business to continue in a legal and safe way; showing the importance of good governance, strong accountability, proportionality and flexibility. 


Throughout the pandemic a number of you have raised concerns about the number and type of council meetings that have been taking place. During April and September 2020 my officials undertook an analysis of the local authority meetings being held across Wales. This information is attached to this statement (Annex A). Since then the number and type of meetings held has continued to increase across Wales.


Alongside the efforts made by local authorities there are some issues that need to be addressed to enable councils to continue to maximise flexibility when making arrangements for meetings.


As part of the allocations made from the Welsh Government Reserves for Reconstruction package, £700,000 was made available to support the implementation of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021\.  From this, a Digital Democracy Fund of £500,000 was developed to support the digital transformation of local democracy. 


A total of 52 bids amounting to £1,062,622\.74 were received from 21 Local Authorities.   


I have approved funding for a number of bids including:


* Upgrading and refurbishment of council chambers and meeting rooms.
* Equipment to enable hybrid meetings to take place for councillors to be more efficient whilst working virtually, the implementation of accessibility software and additional licenses to support video conferencing.
* Research into how 16 – 25 year\-olds would like to be included in the democratic process; purchase of hardware for councillors to be more efficient whilst working virtually and the implementation of accessibility software.
* Development of an app to facilitate multi\-location voting in meetings.
* Development of a digital space where councils and the public are able to exchange ideas.
* Collaborations for communication and training projects to be taken forward