Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
My written statement on 11 December 2014 explained that I would delay announcing my decision on each of the Expressions of Interest submitted by Local Authorities wishing to develop a proposal for Voluntary Merger.  I am announcing those decisions today.    


I welcome the leadership shown by the political Leaders of each of the authorities concerned and their willingness to help shape their futures.  I understand that securing agreement from their prospective partner councils took a good deal of work and personal commitment.  


I received three formal Expressions of Interest submitted in accordance with the timetable set out in a Prospectus which I issued in September 2014 .  These were from the following authorities:


 


* Torfaen County Borough Council \& Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council;
* Bridgend County Borough Council \& Vale of Glamorgan Council; and
* Conwy County Borough Council \& Denbighshire County Council.


 


I have considered each Expression of Interest carefully against the criteria set out in the Prospectus.  I am disappointed to report that on the basis of this assessment I am not persuaded that any one of these Expressions of Interest sufficiently meets the criteria for moving ahead to prepare a full Voluntary Merger Proposal.  


While there were some positive aspects to each Expression of Interest, the Prospectus was clear on what would be required.  This included the need for both applicant authorities to set out a compelling vision for the new authority and to provide assurance that post merger arrangements would reduce complexity and increase coherence and coterminosity of public services.  Where proposals diverged from our full preferred map (Williams Option 1\), authorities were expected to provide evidence of exceptional circumstances as to why they should be approved. We also needed to have confidence that authorities would be able to develop comprehensive merger proposals by 30 June 2015\.  


Earlier, I spoke with the Leaders of all the authorities involved to advise them of my decision and will be writing to each one of them shortly setting out my reasons for each decision in more detail.


As Members will be aware the Local Government (Wales) Bill was published yesterday.  It includes provisions to enable Voluntary Mergers to take place which would need to be agreed by 30 November 2015\.  I will give further consideration to these provisions as the Bill proceeds.


  

Note


The Expressions of Interest have been published by the councils involved and can be found at:


Bridgend County Borough Council and the Vale of Glamorgan: http://www.google.co.uk/url?url\=http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/web/groups/public/documents/agenda\_moderngov/115948\.pdf\&rct\=j\&frm\=1\&q\=\&esrc\=s\&sa\=U\&ei\=EnjGVJLRLNCv7Ab40oHABQ\&ved\=0CBQQFjAA\&usg\=AFQjCNHq6MXAlHZ8DITshyG92L4dKUBkbw


 


Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council:


https://moderngov.denbighshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId\=134\&MId\=5052\&LLL\=0


  

Torfaen County Borough Council and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council (draft version):


 


 


 


 


http://moderngov.torfaen.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId\=137\&MId\=1165\&Ver\=4\&LLL\=0


 







Translation:


 
Yn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig dyddiedig 11 Rhagfyr 2014, esboniais y byddwn yn oedi cyn cyhoeddi fy mhenderfyniad ar bob un o'r Datganiadau o Ddiddordeb a gyflwynwyd gan Awdurdodau Lleol a oedd yn dymuno datblygu cynnig ar gyfer Uno Gwirfoddol. Rwy’n cyhoeddi’r penderfyniadau hynny heddiw.

Rwy'n croesawu'r arweinyddiaeth a ddangosir gan Arweinwyr gwleidyddol pob un o'r awdurdodau o dan sylw a'u parodrwydd i helpu i lunio eu dyfodol. Rwy’n deall bod sicrhau cytundeb gan eu darpar gynghorau partner wedi cymryd cryn dipyn o waith ac ymrwymiad personol.

Derbyniais dri Datganiad o Ddiddordeb ffurfiol yn unol â'r amserlen a nodwyd yn Prosbectws y cyhoeddais ym mis Medi 2014 . Roedd y rhain gan yr awdurdodau canlynol:

* Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent;
* Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen\-y\-bont ar Ogwr a Chyngor Bro Morgannwg; a
* Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy a Chyngor Sir Ddinbych.

  
Rwyf wedi ystyried pob Datganiad o Ddiddordeb yn ofalus yn erbyn y meini prawf a nodir yn y Prosbectws. Mae’n siomedig i mi nodi, ar sail yr asesiad hwn, nad wyf wedi fy argyhoeddi bod unrhyw un o'r Datganiadau hyn o Ddiddordeb yn bodloni'r meini prawf yn ddigonol ar gyfer symud ymlaen i baratoi Cynnig Uno Gwirfoddol llawn.

Er bod rhai agweddau cadarnhaol ar bob Datganiad o Ddiddordeb, roedd y Prosbectws yn glir ynghylch yr hyn fyddai'n ofynnol. Roedd hyn yn cynnwys yr angen i’r ddau awdurdod oedd yn gwneud cais amlinellu gweledigaeth gymhellol ar gyfer yr awdurdod newydd a rhoi sicrwydd y byddai’r trefniadau ar ôl uno yn lleihau cymhlethdod, yn gwella cydlyniant, ac yn sicrhau bod gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yn mynd i’r un cyfeiriad. Lle’r oedd cynigion yn ymwahanu oddi wrth ein map llawn a ffefrir (Williams Opsiwn 1\), roedd disgwyl i awdurdodau ddarparu tystiolaeth o amgylchiadau eithriadol o ran pam y dylent gael eu cymeradwyo. Roedd hefyd angen i ni fod yn hyderus y byddai awdurdodau yn gallu datblygu cynigion uno cynhwysfawr erbyn 30 Mehefin 2015\.

Yn gynharach, siaradais ag Arweinwyr yr holl awdurdodau oedd wedi cymryd rhan i roi gwybod iddynt am fy mhenderfyniad a byddaf yn ysgrifennu at bob un ohonynt yn fuan i nodi rhesymau manylach dros bob penderfyniad.

Fel y gŵyr yr Aelodau, cyhoeddwyd Bil Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) ddoe. Mae'n cynnwys darpariaethau i alluogi Uno Gwirfoddol y byddai angen cytuno arnynt erbyn 30 Tachwedd 2015\. Byddaf yn rhoi ystyriaeth bellach i'r darpariaethau hyn wrth i'r Bil fynd rhagddo.

  
Nodyn

Mae’r Datganiadau o Ddiddordeb wedi cael eu cyhoeddi gan y cynghorau dan sylw a gellir eu gweld yn:

Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen Y Bont a Pen\-Cyngor Bro Morgannwg: http://www.google.co.uk/url?url\=http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/web/groups/public/documents/agenda\_moderngov/115948\.pdf\&rct\=j\&frm\=1\&q\=\&esrc\=s\&sa\=U\&ei\=EnjGVJLRLNCv7Ab40oHABQ\&ved\=0CBQQFjAA\&usg\=AFQjCNHq6MXAlHZ8DITshyG92L4dKUBkbw

  


Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy a Chyngor Sir Ddinbych:

https://moderngov.denbighshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId\=134\&MId\=5052\&LLL\=0

  
Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Blaenau Gwent (fersiwn drafft):

http://moderngov.torfaen.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId\=137\&MId\=1165\&Ver\=4\&LLL\=0