Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
The Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Alun Davies AM, informed the Chamber he would provide a Written Statement on the issue raised by Russell George AM during plenary on the 28 February concerning the contaminated land regime. I am providing this statement as contaminated land falls within my portfolio.  

  

The Welsh Government is committed to tackling the legacy of historical land contamination in Wales and continues to help support Local Authorities with this work. Addressing its impact on the environment and the well\-being of our communities remains a priority. This is why funding was allocated in 2017/18 to assist Local Authorities and Natural Resources Wales in investigating and remediating contaminated sites across Wales. Over £850,000 was allocated and this included the funding of ground\-breaking work to remediate metal mine water pollution, drawing international interest.    

  

In the case to which Russell George AM referred, (Powys County Council v Price and Hardwick (2017\)), the Court found Powys County Council was not liable under the contaminated land regime for the remediation of contaminated land associated with waste deposited at a (now closed) landfill site operated by its predecessor organisation, the Borough of Brecknock.  

  

The contaminated land regime set out in Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides a means of dealing with potential risks posed by contaminated land. Local Authorities are required to inspect their areas with a view to identifying such sites. Once the enforcing authority is satisfied land meets the definition of contaminated land set out in the Act, it must consider how it should be remediated. The process of determining and discharging liabilities follows. The ‘polluter pays’ principle underpins the operation of the contaminated land regime. Any person who caused or knowingly permitted the introduction of the substances by reason of which the land becomes contaminated land is liable for its remediation (referred to as a ‘Class A’ person(s)). Where there is more than one Class A person, liability is apportioned amongst the group. It is only if a Class A person cannot be found that any current owner and/or occupier of the land becomes liable (referred to as a ‘Class B’ person(s)).


  

The Court case examined the effect of the legislation relating to the 1996 Local Government re\-organisation. In particular, it examined the Local Government Reorganisation (Wales) (Property etc.) Order 1996, which transferred liabilities to the successor local authorities.  The Court found that there was no liability under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at time of the transfer (Part 2A did not come into force in relation to Wales until 2001\), and so there was no liability capable of transferring to the successor authority under the 1996 Order. The case makes it clear successor organisations established by the 1996 Local Government re\-organisation will not be ‘Class A’ persons in relation to contaminated land which has been identified as such because of substances introduced by the activities of their predecessors. My officials are now considering the implications of this legislative arrangement in light of the case cited by Russell George AM.  


It is important to note the identification, attribution and apportionment of contaminated land liabilities is influenced by a variety of factors. Land (including legacy industrial waste disposal/landfill sites), will only become contaminated land for the purposes of Part 2A of the Environment Act 1990 if, upon investigation, it satisfies the definition set out in the Act. Even then, there will be a number of factors which will affect the identification of the person(s) liable to remediate the land, and also the attribution and apportionment of liabilities to the liable person(s). Where land is identified as contaminated land, enforcing authorities will have regard to the circumstances of each individual case when exercising their functions in relation to remediation requirements and the associated costs (further details can be found within the Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance for Wales 2012(1\)). Each case should be considered on its own facts. Anyone who is concerned about the potential implications of the Court judgment for them should consider seeking legal advice on their specific circumstances, and talking to their local authority.







Translation:


 
Dywedodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus, Alun Davies AC, wrth y Siambr y byddai'n gwneud Datganiad Ysgrifenedig ar y mater a godwyd gan Russell George AC yn y cyfarfod llawn ar 28 Chwefror am y drefn ar gyfer delio â thir halogedig. Bydda i'n rhoi'r datganiad hwnnw gan fod tir halogedig yn bwnc sy'n perthyn i'm portffolio i.   
  
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ymrwymo i ddelio â'r gwaddol o dir halogedig rydym wedi'i etifeddu yng Nghymru ac mae'n parhau i helpu Awdurdodau Lleol â'r gwaith hwn. Mae mynd i'r afael â'i effaith ar yr amgylchedd a lles ein cymunedau yn dal i fod yn flaenoriaeth. Dyna pam y neilltuwyd arian yn 2017/18 i helpu Awdurdodau Lleol a Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i archwilio ac adfer tiroedd halogedig ledled Cymru. Cafodd dros £850,000 ei neilltuo a'i ddefnyddio ymhlith pethau eraill i ariannu gwaith arloesol i lanhau llygredd dŵr o fwyngloddiau metel, gan ennyn diddordeb o bob rhan o'r byd.   
  
Yn yr achos y cyfeiriodd Russell George AC ato, (Cyngor Sir Powys v Price a Hardwick (2017\)), cafodd y Llys nad oedd Cyngor Sir Powys yn atebol o dan y drefn tir halogedig am adfer tir a halogwyd gan wastraff a ollyngwyd ar safle tirlenwi (sydd bellach wedi cau) oedd yn cael ei redeg gan ei ragflaenydd, Bwrdeistref Brycheiniog.   
  
Disgrifir y drefn tir halogedig yn Rhan 2A Deddf Diogelu’r Amgylchedd 1990 ac mae'n darparu ffordd o ddelio â'r peryglon y gall tir halogedig eu creu. Disgwylir i Awdurdodau Lleol archwilio'u hardaloedd er mwyn cael hyd i safleoedd o'r fath. Pan fydd yr awdurdod gorfodi'n fodlon bod y tir dan sylw'n cyfateb i'r diffiniad o dir halogedig a ddisgrifir yn y Ddeddf, rhaid iddo ystyried sut y dylai ei adfer. Yna daw'r broses o benderfynu pwy sy'n atebol a sut i gyflawni'r rhwymedigaethau. Sylfaen y drefn tir halogedig yw'r egwyddor mai'r 'llygrwr sy'n talu'. Bydd unrhyw berson a barodd cyflwyno'r sylweddau sydd wedi halogi'r tir neu a wnaeth caniatáu eu cyflwyno yn atebol am ei adfer (cyfeirir ato fel person 'Dosbarth A'). Lle ceir mwy nag un person Dosbarth A, rhennir yr atebolrwydd ymhlith y grŵp. Dim ond os nad oes person Dosbarth A y daw perchennog a/neu feddiannydd y tir yn atebol (cyfeirir ato fel person 'Dosbarth B'). 

  
Cafodd effaith y ddeddfwriaeth ad\-drefnu Llywodraeth Leol 1996 ei hystyried gan y Llys. Archwiliodd yn arbennig Orchymyn Ad\-drefnu Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) (Eiddo ac ati) 1996, a drosglwyddodd eu rhwymedigaethau i'r awdurdodau lleol newydd. Ym marn y Llys, nid oedd rhwymedigaeth o dan Ran 2A Deddf Diogelu'r Amgylchedd 1990 adeg y trosglwyddiad (ni ddaeth Rhan 2A i rym yng Nghymru tan 2001\), ac felly nid oedd rhwymedigaeth i'w drosglwyddo i'r awdurdod olynol o dan Orchymyn 1996\. Mae'r achos yn ei gwneud yn glir na chaiff awdurdodau olynol a sefydlwyd yn sgil ad\-drefnu llywodraeth leol ym 1996 fod yn berson 'Dosbarth A' mewn cysylltiad â thir a halogwyd yn sgil cyflwyno sylweddau gan weithgareddau'u rhagflaenwyr. Mae fy swyddogion wrthi'n ystyried goblygiadau'r trefniant deddfwriaethol hwn yng ngoleuni'r achos y cyfeiriodd Russell George AC ato. 

  
Mae'n bwysig nodi bod nifer o ffactorau'n dylanwadu ar sut y caiff yr atebolrwydd am dir halogedig ei adnabod, ei briodoli a'i rannu. Er mwyn i dir (gan gynnwys hen safleoedd tirlenwi/gwastraff diwydiannol) gael ei ystyried yn dir halogedig o dan Ran 2A Deddf Amgylchedd 1990, rhaid iddo fodloni ar ôl archwiliad y diffiniad a geir yn y Ddeddf. Hyd yn oed wedyn, ceir nifer o ffactorau fydd yn effeithio ar adnabod y person sy'n atebol am adfer y tir, a sut y caiff yr atebolrwydd hwnnw ei briodoli a'i rannu i'r person atebol. Lle nodir bod y tir wedi'i halogi, bydd yr awdurdod gorfodi'n ystyried amgylchiadau pob achos unigol wrth arfer ei swyddogaethau i bennu'r gofynion adfer a'r costau cysylltiedig (cewch fanylion pellach yn y Canllaw Statudol i Gymru ar Dir Halogedig 2012(1\)). Cloriennir pob achos yn ôl ei ffeithiau. Dylai unrhyw un sy'n bryderus ynghylch goblygiadau posib dyfarniad y Llys iddynt hwy ystyried gofyn barn gyfreithiol am eu hamgylchiadau penodol a siarad â'r awdurdod lleol.