Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Today, I am launching our consultation which proposes amendments to provisions in the Local Government Act 2000 and the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 which enable changes to the executive governance arrangements of principal councils. 


Currently, all 22 principal councils in Wales operate a ‘leader and cabinet’ model of executive governance arrangements. Following an ordinary election, the principal council will appoint a leader, who will then normally appoint a cabinet of members of the principal council.


The executive governance arrangements of principal councils can be changed to a model with an elected mayor taking responsibility for the executive functions.  An elected mayor would have the right to appoint a new cabinet, and might choose to replace the cabinet which was in place before they were elected.


As a result of current time limitations set out in legislation, if a principal council changes its executive arrangements, mayoral elections may not be able to take place at the same time as an ordinary election of councilors. Holding mayoral elections shortly after (or before) an ordinary election could be disruptive and potentially destabilising within the principal council.


We propose that petitions should be able to be presented, proposals for resolutions to be drawn up by principal councils and directions and orders be made by the Welsh Ministers from the day following an ordinary election and the deadline should be eighteen months before the date of the next ordinary election. The intention is that, following a successful petition or a resolution, a direction or order, there would be sufficient time for any referendum to take place and enable any mayoral elections to be held at the same time as the next set of ordinary elections.


Our intention is also to limit the disruptive impact of repeated changes of executive arrangements within a relatively short period.


Currently, principal councils can only hold a referendum once in any five year period. However, the current situation still has the potential to create considerable political instability with what could amount to a change of executive arrangements during each electoral cycle.


In order to minimise the risk of instability, we propose that where the executive arrangements of a principal council have been changed, no further changes can be made to them until two complete electoral cycles have passed. This is in line with provisions set out in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill for principal councils to change their voting systems.


We are also seeking opinions on updating some of the regulations around petitions such as allowing for e\-petitions, online notifications for petitions and whether the threshold required for signatures to a mayoral petition triggering a referendum should be amended.


The consultation, which runs until 27 February 2020, describes in more detail what we are proposing to do and sets out our reasons.


This is the first step of a two phase consultation. We will shortly consult on proposed amendments to secondary legislation taking into consideration responses to this consultation.


Changes to the executive governance arrangements in principal councils (local authorities)


I would welcome your comments.







Translation:


 
Heddiw, rwy’n lansio ein hymgynghoriad sy’n cynnig gwelliannau i ddarpariaethau yn Neddf Llywodraeth Leol 2000 a Mesur Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) 2011 sy’n galluogi newidiadau i gael eu rhoi ar waith yn nhrefniadau llywodraethu gweithredol prif gynghorau. 


Ar hyn o bryd, mae trefniadau llywodraethu gweithredol pob un o’r 22 prif gyngor yng Nghymru wedi’u seilio ar fodel ‘arweinydd a chabinet’. Yn dilyn etholiad cyffredin, bydd y prif gyngor yn penodi arweinydd, a bydd yr arweinydd wedyn fel arfer yn penodi cabinet o aelodau o’r prif gyngor.


Gellir newid trefniadau llywodraethu gweithredol prif gynghorau i fodel lle mae maer etholedig yn ysgwyddo’r cyfrifoldeb am y swyddogaethau gweithredol.  Byddai gan faer etholedig yr hawl i benodi cabinet newydd, a gallai ddewis cabinet gwahanol yn lle’r un oedd yn gweithredu cyn iddo gael ei ethol.


Oherwydd y cyfyngiadau amser sydd wedi’u nodi mewn deddfwriaeth ar hyn o bryd, pe bai prif gyngor yn newid ei drefniadau gweithredol, efallai na fyddai modd i’r etholiadau am faer gael eu cynnal ar yr un pryd ag etholiad cyffredin i ethol cynghorwyr. Gallai cynnal etholiadau am faer yn fuan ar ôl (neu cyn) etholiad cyffredin darfu ar y prif gyngor a gallai ei ansefydlogi.


Rydym yn cynnig y dylai fod modd i ddeisebau gael eu cyflwyno, i gynigion ar gyfer penderfyniadau gael eu llunio gan brif gynghorau ac i gyfarwyddiadau a gorchmynion gael eu gwneud gan Weinidogion Cymru o’r diwrnod ar ôl etholiad cyffredin ac y dylai’r dyddiad terfyn fod ddeunaw mis cyn dyddiad yr etholiad cyffredin nesaf. Yn dilyn deiseb neu benderfyniad, cyfarwyddyd neu orchymyn llwyddiannus, y bwriad yw y byddai digon o amser i gynnal unrhyw refferendwm a galluogi unrhyw etholiadau am faer i gael eu cynnal ar yr un pryd â'r set nesaf o etholiadau cyffredin.


Ein bwriad ni hefyd yw cyfyngu ar y tarfu a fyddai’n deillio o newid trefniadau’r weithrediaeth sawl gwaith o fewn cyfnod cymharol fyr o amser.


Ar hyn o bryd, dim ond unwaith mewn unrhyw gyfnod o bum mlynedd y gall prif gynghorau gynnal refferendwm. Fodd bynnag, mae i'r sefyllfa bresennol botensial o hyd i greu cryn ansefydlogrwydd gwleidyddol gyda’r hyn a allai olygu newid yn nhrefniadau’r weithrediaeth yn ystod pob cylch etholiadol.


Er mwyn lleihau’r risg o ansefydlogrwydd, rydym yn cynnig, lle mae trefniadau gweithrediaeth prif gyngor wedi newid, na ellir gwneud unrhyw newidiadau pellach iddynt nes bydd dau gylch etholiadol llawn wedi pasio. Mae hyn yn unol â’r darpariaethau a nodir ym Mil Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru) i brif gynghorau newid eu systemau pleidleisio.


Rydym yn gofyn hefyd am sylwadau ar ddiweddaru rhai o’r rheoliadau sy’n ymwneud â deisebau fel caniatáu e\-ddeisebau, hysbysiadau ar\-lein am ddeisebau ac a ddylid diwygio’r trothwy ar gyfer y llofnodion sy’n ofynnol i ddeiseb am faer sbarduno refferendwm.


Mae’r ymgynghoriad, sy’n cael ei gynnal tan 27 Chwefror 2020, yn disgrifio’n fanylach yr hyn rydym yn cynnig ei wneud ac mae’n nodi ein rhesymau.


Dyma’r cam cyntaf o ymgynghoriad dau gam. Byddwn yn ymgynghori cyn bo hir ar welliannau arfaethedig i is\-ddeddfwriaeth gan ystyried yr ymatebion i’r ymgynghoriad hwn.


Newidiadau i drefniadau llywodraethu gweithredol prif gynghorau (awdurdodau lleol)


Byddwn yn croesawu eich sylwadau.