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On 3 March I announced I had made the first commencement Order in respect of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act (“the Act”) and confirmed my intention to make further commencement Orders before the end of this Senedd term


I can today inform Members that I have made the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Commencement Order No. 2 and Saving Provisions) (Wales) Order 2021\.


The second commencement Order will bring into force, on 1 April 2021, the majority of Chapter 1 of Part 6 of the Act in respect of the performance and governance of principal councils.  Chapter 3 of that Part, which provides for co\-ordination between regulators will also come into force on 1 April 2021\.


This will ensure that the new performance and governance regime, other than the provisions relating to panel performance assessments, will apply to principal councils from, and in relation to, the 2021\-22 financial year. This will give principal councils the entire financial year to conduct their first self\-assessment and report early in the 2022\-23 financial year.


Councils will continue to assess their performance in accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 (“the 2009 Measure”)  in respect of the 2020\-21 financial year, with reports to be published by the end of October 2021\.


The provisions relating to panel performance assessments will commence on 5 May 2022 in line with the next ordinary election of councillors. This will enable a gradual and measured roll out of the new regime, allowing for at least one cycle of self\-assessments to be conducted before requiring a panel assessment be completed. 


In November 2020, I launched a consultation on draft statutory guidance to facilitate the implementation of the new regime, and to support principal councils in discharging their duties under Part 6 of the Act. 


Prior to formal consultation, the draft statutory guidance was co\-developed with local government and extensive engagement was undertaken with key stakeholders.  I wanted to ensure that the guidance we produced was something valuable to local government, providing a meaningful opportunity to continually strengthen councils. 


The consultation on the draft guidance concluded on 3 February 2021 and I am grateful to all those who have responded. The responses to the consultation collectively showed that there was broad support for the guidance as drafted, with the approach to co\-development of the guidance being seen as constructive.  There were some points raised which have been taken into account in the final guidance, to clarify or strengthen certain aspects. I intend to publish this guidance for principal councils next week, ensuring it is in place ahead of the commencement of the new duties on 1 April.


The second commencement Order also disapplies the 2009 Measure to principal councils and National Park authorities, and includes saving provisions to ensure that the exercise of certain functions, and other things done, under the 2009 Measure continue to have effect following its disapplication.


As a result of the new performance and governance regime in Part 6, and the subsequent disapplication of the 2009 Measure, a number of consequential amendments are required to other enactments. These are provided for in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2021, which I have also made today. These Regulations will come into force on 1 April 2021\.


The second commencement Order also brings section 115 of the Act into force on 1 April 2021\. This section provides for the re\-naming of ‘Audit Committees’ to ‘Governance and Audit Committees’ and requires these committees to review and assess their council’s performance assessment, together with its ability to handle complaints effectively.


Chapter 2 of Part 6, which makes provisions in respect of the membership and proceedings of governance and audit committees, will come into force on 5 May 2022\.


Those provisions in Part 7 of the 2021 Act, in respect of restructuring of principal areas, that are not yet in force will also be brought into force on 1 April 2021\.







Translation:


 
Ar 3 Mawrth cyhoeddais fy mod wedi gwneud y Gorchymyn cychwyn cyntaf mewn perthynas â Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) ("y Ddeddf") gan gadarnhau fy mwriad i wneud Gorchmynion cychwyn pellach cyn diwedd tymor y Senedd hon.


Gallaf ddweud wrth yr Aelodau heddiw fy mod wedi gwneud Gorchymyn Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021 (Gorchymyn Cychwyn Rhif 2 a Darpariaethau Arbed) (Cymru) 2021\.


Bydd yr ail Orchymyn cychwyn yn dwyn i rym, ar 1 Ebrill 2021, y rhan fwyaf o Bennod 1 o Ran 6 o'r Ddeddf mewn perthynas â pherfformiad a llywodraethu prif gynghorau.  Bydd Pennod 3 o'r Rhan honno, sy'n darparu ar gyfer cydgysylltu rhwng rheoleiddwyr, hefyd yn dod i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2021\.


Bydd hyn yn sicrhau y bydd y gyfundrefn perfformiad a llywodraethu newydd, ac eithrio'r darpariaethau sy'n ymwneud ag asesiadau perfformiad gan banel, yn gymwys i brif gynghorau o flwyddyn ariannol 2021\-22 ac mewn perthynas â hi. Bydd hyn yn rhoi'r flwyddyn ariannol gyfan i brif gynghorau gynnal eu hunanasesiad cyntaf a chyflwyno adroddiad yn gynnar ym mlwyddyn ariannol 2022\-23\.  


Bydd cynghorau yn parhau i asesu eu perfformiad yn unol â Mesur Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) 2009 ("Mesur 2009") mewn perthynas â blwyddyn ariannol 2020\-21, gydag adroddiadau i'w cyhoeddi erbyn diwedd mis Hydref 2021\.


Bydd y darpariaethau sy'n ymwneud ag asesiad perfformiad gan banel yn dechrau ar 5 Mai 2022 yn unol â’r etholiad cyffredin nesaf i ethol cynghorwyr. Bydd hyn yn golygu y gellir cyflwyno'r drefn newydd yn raddol ac yn bwyllog, gan ganiatáu i o leiaf un cylch o hunanasesiadau gael ei gynnal cyn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i asesiad panel gael ei gwblhau.


Fis Tachwedd 2020, lansiais ymgynghoriad ar ganllawiau statudol drafft i hwyluso gweithredu'r drefn newydd, ac i gefnogi prif gynghorau i gyflawni eu dyletswyddau o dan Ran 6 o'r Ddeddf. 


Cyn ymgynghori'n ffurfiol, datblygwyd y canllawiau statudol drafft ar y cyd â llywodraeth leol ac ymgysylltwyd yn helaeth â rhanddeiliaid allweddol.  Roeddwn am sicrhau bod y canllawiau a gynhyrchid gennym yn rhywbeth gwerthfawr i lywodraeth leol, gan roi cyfle ystyrlon i gryfhau cynghorau'n barhaus.


Daeth yr ymgynghoriad ar y canllawiau drafft i ben ar 3 Chwefror 2021 ac rwy'n ddiolchgar i bawb sydd wedi ymateb. Dangosodd yr ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad, at ei gilydd, fod cefnogaeth eang i'r canllawiau fel y'u drafftiwyd, a bod y dull o gyd\-ddatblygu'r canllawiau yn cael ei ystyried yn un adeiladol.  Codwyd rhai pwyntiau sydd wedi'u hystyried yn y canllawiau terfynol, i egluro neu gryfhau rhai agweddau. Bwriadaf gyhoeddi'r canllawiau hyn ar gyfer prif gynghorau yr wythnos nesaf, gan sicrhau eu bod ar waith cyn i'r dyletswyddau newydd ddechrau ar 1 Ebrill.


Mae'r ail Orchymyn cychwyn hefyd yn datgymhwyso Mesur 2009 ar gyfer prif gynghorau ac awdurdodau Parciau Cenedlaethol, ac mae'n cynnwys darpariaethau arbed i sicrhau bod arfer swyddogaethau penodol, a phethau eraill a wneir o dan Fesur 2009, yn parhau i gael effaith ar ôl iddo gael ei ddatgymhwyso.


O ganlyniad i'r gyfundrefn perfformiad a llywodraethu newydd yn Rhan 6, a datgymhwyso Mesur 2009 yn sgil hynny, mae angen nifer o ddiwygiadau canlyniadol i ddeddfiadau eraill. Darperir ar gyfer y rhain yn Rheoliadau Deddf Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2021 (Diwygiadau Canlyniadol) 2021, yr wyf hefyd wedi'u gwneud heddiw. Daw'r Rheoliadau hyn i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2021\.


Mae'r ail Orchymyn cychwyn hefyd yn dod ag adran 115 o'r Ddeddf i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2021\. Mae'r adran hon yn darparu ar gyfer ailenwi 'Pwyllgorau Archwilio' yn 'Bwyllgorau Llywodraethu ac Archwilio' ac mae'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol i'r pwyllgorau hyn adolygu ac arfarnu asesiad perfformiad eu cyngor, ynghyd â'i allu i ymdrin â chwynion yn effeithiol.


Daw Pennod 2 o Ran 6, sy'n gwneud darpariaethau mewn perthynas ag aelodaeth a thrafodion pwyllgorau llywodraethu ac archwilio, i rym ar 5 Mai 2022\.


Bydd y darpariaethau hynny yn Rhan 7 o Ddeddf 2021, yn ymwneud ag ailstrwythuro prif ardaloedd, nad ydynt eto mewn grym, hefyd yn dod i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2021\.