Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Yn gynharach eleni, cyhoeddais ymgynghoriad ar y Papur Gwyn ar Ddiogelwch Tomenni Glo (Cymru) \[1]  oedd yn esbonio’n cynigion ar gyfer trefn newydd i sicrhau diogelwch tomenni glo yng Nghymru. Amcan ein cynigion yw diogelu cymunedau, seilwaith hanfodol a’r amgylchedd trwy gyflwyno rheolau newydd ar gyfer rheoli tomenni, i leihau’r posibilrwydd o dirlithriadau.


Seiliwyd y Papur Gwyn ar yr argymhellion a wnaed gan Gomisiwn y Gyfraith yn eu hadroddiad *Regulating Coal Tip Safety in Wales*\[2] a gyhoeddwyd ar 24 Mawrth. Cynhwysai’r Papur Gwyn ddadansoddiad hefyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru o feysydd na rhoddwyd sylw iddynt yn adroddiad Comisiwn y Gyfraith neu feysydd yr argymhellodd y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru eu hystyried. Cyflwynodd y Papur Gwyn gynigion deddfwriaethol ar gyfer cyflwyno fframwaith rheoli statudol newydd a fyddai’n darparu trefn newydd gyson ar gyfer rheoli, monitro a goruchwylio tomenni segur ac yn lliniaru effeithiau posibl y newid yn yr hinsawdd.


Daeth yr ymgynghoriad i ben ar 4 Awst a phleser i mi heddiw yw cael cyhoeddi crynodeb o’r ymatebion. Hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch am gyfraniad gwerthfawr amrywiaeth eang o unigolion, cwmnïau, cyrff a sefydliadau a ymatebodd i’r ymgynghoriad hwn ac i’n partneriaid ar y Tasglu – yr Awdurdod Glo, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, awdurdodau lleol a Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru \- am barhau i’n cefnogi a’n cynghori.


Rwy’n falch gweld bod cefnogaeth arwyddocaol i’r cynigion yn y Papur Gwyn a chydnabyddiaeth eang bod angen trefn reoli effeithiol i helpu i gadw tomenni’n ddiogel ac i fynd i’r afael â’u risg i gymunedau a’r amgylchedd.


Gan droi at gynigion penodol y Papur Gwyn, ceir cytundeb cyffredinol bod angen fframwaith cyffredinol fyddai’n addas ar gyfer tomenni glo segur a thomenni nad ydynt yn domenni glo, er y bydd y drefn newydd yn y lle cyntaf yn canolbwyntio ar domenni glo segur. Byddai’n bosibl wedyn ychwanegu tomenni eraill fesul cam at y drefn, pan fydd hi’n briodol.


Roedd cryn gefnogaeth i'r cynnig i sefydlu awdurdod goruchwylio i gadw golwg ar y drefn newydd, i sicrhau bod trefniadau rheoli ar waith ar gyfer y tomenni categori uchaf ac i lunio a chynnal cofrestr genedlaethol newydd o asedau. Roedd ymatebwyr yn cefnogi'r cynnig i sefydlu awdurdod goruchwylio fel Corff Gweithredol hyd braich a Noddir gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Bydd hyn yn sicrhau'r annibyniaeth briodol a’r ffocws ar sicrhau tomenni diogel.


Rhaid i fframwaith rheoli newydd, wrth gwrs, fod yn seiliedig ar y data diweddaraf. Roedd cefnogaeth eang i'r cynnig i greu cofrestr asedau genedlaethol ganolog o ddata unffurf, cydlynol a dibynadwy. Rwy'n gwrando ar gyngor ymatebwyr i beidio â gwneud yn fach o’r cymhlethdodau a'r heriau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r gwaith hwn. Bydd y gofrestr ganolog hon yn adeiladu ar y data sydd eisoes wedi’u casglu gan y Tasglu Diogelwch Tomenni Glo.  Byddwn ni'n parhau i ymgysylltu â rhanddeiliaid i ddysgu o’u profiad ac yn ystyried defnyddio arferion gorau systemau presennol tebyg lle bo hynny'n briodol. 


Mae'r Papur Gwyn yn nodi cynigion ar gyfer system genedlaethol newydd i gategoreiddio tomenni a fydd yn seiliedig ar asesiad penodol o’r risg ym mhob safle. Byddai'r asesiad yn nodi’r peryglon y gallai tomen eu hachosi i gymunedau, eiddo, seilwaith neu'r amgylchedd.  Cafwyd cefnogaeth eang i'r cynigion hyn, er fy mod yn cydnabod y sylwadau ynghylch problemau recriwtio aseswyr cymwys neu brofiadol addas, a hefyd yr angen i sicrhau eu bod yn cael yr hyfforddiant a’r arweiniad priodol. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gyda phartneriaid a rhanddeiliaid allweddol i fynd i'r afael â'r bylchau sgiliau hyn.  Rwy'n ddiolchgar i'n partneriaid ar y Tasglu am barhau i gydweithio ac ymgysylltu mor agos â ni wrth i ni dreialu asesiadau a dulliau categoreiddio peryglon, a mireinio cynigion ar gyfer archwiliadau, arfarniadau, cynlluniau rheoli a chytundebau cynnal a chadw.


Thema ganolog i lawer o’r ymatebion i'r Papur Gwyn yw bod gofyn am arian ac adnoddau sylweddol i sefydlu a chynnal y drefn newydd.  Mae yna bryderon hefyd ynghylch sicrhau nad oes baich anghymesur yn cael ei roi ar berchnogion tomenni.  Rwy'n cydnabod y pwyntiau hyn ac yn ymrwymo i sicrhau tryloywder ynghylch costau wrth ddatblygu’r ddeddfwriaeth. Mae'n werth ailadrodd hefyd y gall llawer o gyfleoedd economaidd, cymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol ddod o fuddsoddi mewn tomenni segur, gyda llawer ohonynt yn digwydd yn rhai o ardaloedd mwyaf difreintiedig Cymru. 


I gloi, roedd cefnogaeth eang i'r cynigion o blaid trefn fonitro dwy haen a threfn gymesur ar gyfer rheoli tomenni yn unol â chategori pob tip. Roedd yr ymatebwyr yn cydnabod hefyd bod angen pwerau priodol i gael mynd ar dir preifat er mwyn gallu cynnal archwiliadau, gwaith cynnal a chadw a chynnal archwiliadau dirybudd.   Derbyniwyd hefyd y byddai angen i sancsiynau sifil fod yn rhan hanfodol o'r drefn gyda llawer yn mynegi barn ar sut i’w datblygu. Derbyniwyd na fyddai’r drefn yn gweithio'n effeithiol heb fesurau priodol i sicrhau cydymffurfiaeth.  


Mae'r ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad yn ffynhonnell werthfawr o dystiolaeth a syniadau a fydd yn ein helpu i ddatblygu ein cynigion deddfwriaethol. Dros y misoedd nesaf, bydd fy swyddogion yn parhau i drafod â rhanddeiliaid wrth i gynigion ar gyfer deddfwriaeth newydd gael eu datblygu'n llawn. 


O ran y rhaglen diogelu tomenni glo ehangach, dechreuodd y bumed rownd o archwilio tomenni â sgôr uwch ym mis Hydref a bydd yn para gydol misoedd y gaeaf.  Er gwaethaf yr heriau o ran casglu tystiolaeth, mae gwaith casglu data a dadansoddi tomenni glo yn mynd yn ei flaen ac rwy'n dal i fod yn ymrwymedig i gyhoeddi lleoliadau tomenni glo segur yng Nghymru.  Byddaf yn cysylltu eto maes o law â’r Aelodau.


 


\[1] Coal Tip Safety (Wales) White Paper \| GOV.WALES


\[2]   Law Com 406, 24 March 2022, Regulating\-Coal\-Tip\-Safety\-in\-Wales\-Report.pdf   


 


 







Translation:


 
Earlier this year I announced a consultation on the Coal Tip Safety (Wales) White Paper\[1] which set out our proposals for a new tip safety regime in Wales. The aim of our proposals is to protect communities, critical infrastructure and the environment by introducing new rules on the appropriate management of tips to help reduce the likelihood of landslides.  


The White Paper built on the recommendations made by the Law Commission in their report *Regulating Coal Tip Safety in Wales*\[2] which was published on 24 March. The White Paper also included further analysis undertaken by the Welsh Government on areas not addressed in the Law Commission’s report or where it had recommended were for the Welsh Government to consider.  The White Paper set out legislative proposals for the introduction of a new statutory management framework, which would provide a new consistent approach to the management, monitoring and oversight of disused tip and help mitigate the potential impacts from climate change. 


The consultation closed on 4 August and I am pleased to publish a summary of responses today.  I would like to extend my thanks for the valuable contributions provided by a wide range of individual stakeholders, companies, and organisations who responded to this consultation, and for the continued support and advice from our Task Force partners – the Coal Authority, Natural Resources Wales, local authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association. 


I was pleased to see the significant support for the proposals set out in the White Paper with broad recognition of the need for an effective management regime to help ensure the safety of tips and address the risks they pose to communities and the environment. 


Turning to the specific White Paper proposals, there was general agreement for an overarching framework suitable for both disused coal and non\-coal tips, although the initial focus for the new regime will be on disused coal tips. This will allow incorporation of other disused spoil tips into the regime when appropriate through a phased transitional approach.


There was strong support for the proposal to establish a supervisory authority to oversee the new regime, ensure management arrangements are in place for the highest category tips and to compile and maintain a new national asset register. Respondents supported the proposal for the supervisory authority to be established as an arms\-length Executive Welsh Government Sponsored Body. This will ensure the appropriate independence and focus on securing the safety of tips.


A new management framework must, of course, be premised on up\-to\-date data. There was broad support for the proposal to introduce a centralised national asset register comprised of uniform, and coherent and reliable data. I take on board the feedback from respondents to not underestimate the complexities and challenges associated with this work. This central register will build upon the data collection work already undertaken by the Coal Tip Safety Task Force.  We will continue to engage with stakeholders to learn from others experience and look to utilise best practice where appropriate from existing comparable systems.  


The White Paper set out proposals for a new national approach to the categorisation of tips which will be underpinned by a tailored hazard assessment for each site. The hazard assessment would account for the hazards a tip might pose to communities, property, infrastructure or the environment.  There was broad support for these proposals, although I acknowledge the comments received on the recruitment shortages for suitable qualified or experienced assessors, and also the need to ensure appropriate training and guidance. We will continue to work with partners and key stakeholders on how we address these capability gaps.  I am grateful to our Task Force partners for the ongoing close collaboration and engagement as we continue to trial hazard assessments and categorisations, and refine proposals for inspections, appraisals, management plans and maintenance agreements.


A key theme to emerge consistently in responses to the White Paper is the significant funding and resource requirements to establish and implement the new regime.  There are also separate concerns around ensuring a disproportionate burden is not placed on tip owners.  I acknowledge these points and commit to ensure transparency around costings as the legislation is developed. It is also worth reiterating there are many economic, social and environmental opportunities that might be gained from investing in disused tips, many of which are located in some of the most deprived areas of Wales. 


Finally, there was broad support for the proposals for a two\-tier monitoring approach with a proportionate approach to tip management based on the category of each tip. Respondents also recognised the need for appropriate powers of access to private land to enable inspections, maintenance works and spot checks to be undertaken.   It was also accepted that civil sanctions would need to be an essential part of the regime with many views provided on how these could be developed. It was recognised the regime will only work effectively if there are appropriate measures in place to ensure compliance.   


The responses to the consultation represent a valuable source of evidence and ideas which will help inform the development of our legislative proposals. Over the coming months, my officials will continue to engage with stakeholders as proposals for new legislation are fully developed.  


In relation to the wider coal tip safety programme, the fifth round of inspections of the higher rated tips commenced in October and will run throughout the winter months.  Despite the challenges in relation to evidence gathering, the coal tip data collation and analysis exercise is progressing and I remain committed to publishing the locations of disused coal tips in Wales.  I will continue to keep Members updated.


 


\[1] Coal Tip Safety (Wales) White Paper \| GOV.WALES


\[2] Law Com 406, 24 March 2022, Regulating\-Coal\-Tip\-Safety\-in\-Wales\-Report.pdf