Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Regulations will be brought forward in early 2019 to prevent any more people being jailed for council tax debt in Wales, pending the outcome of a 12\-week consultation.


Unlike other forms of civil debt, courts have the power to send people to prison for up to 3 months for non\-payment of council tax. A recent judicial review, brought by a woman from Bridgend, highlighted the number of people being sent to prison for council tax debt, in some cases unlawfully.


Professor Drakeford said:



> “My view is that getting into debt is not a crime. The sanction of imprisonment is an outdated and disproportionate response to a civil debt issue.
> 
> 
> “There is significant additional cost to the public purse of imprisoning individuals and such action does nothing to address the reasons for the debt owed to the local authority or to reduce the debt. In many cases, it makes the situation worse.
> 
> 
> “We must also consider the longer term impact on the wellbeing and future prospects of people who are committed to prison and the effect on their families. There is also a knock\-on impact on other public services, as more support is often needed by someone who is committed to prison and their family.”


Cases of council tax debt have increased following the UK government’s decision to abolish council tax benefit in April 2013\. In Wales, to mitigate the impact of this decision, the Welsh Government in partnership with local authorities, developed a national Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS).


To increase uptake of CTRS by eligible households, the Welsh Government is running a campaign with local authorities and third sector organisations to raise awareness of the different types of support available to households.


Professor Drakeford added:



> “The Welsh Government cannot take action in respect of the operation of the courts, as responsibility for this is not devolved.
> 
> 
> “But we do have powers to amend the existing enforcement regime to remove the power to commit people to prison in Wales for non\-payment of council tax. I believe this is the right thing to do at this time.
> 
> 
> “There are other, more appropriate enforcement actions which local authorities can use to seek payment of civil debts.”


The consultation about the removal of imprisonment for non\-payment of council tax is the next step in the Welsh Government’s commitment to make council tax fairer.


Removal of the sanction of imprisonment for non\-payment of council tax







Translation:


 
Bydd rheoliadau’n cael eu cyflwyno yn gynnar yn 2019 fel na fydd pobl bellach yn cael eu carcharu am ddyledion treth gyngor yng Nghymru. Bydd hyn yn dibynnu ar ganlyniad ymgynghoriad sydd i’w gynnal am 12 wythnos.

Yn wahanol i fathau eraill o ddyledion sifil, mae gan y llysoedd bŵer i anfon pobl i’r carchar am hyd at dri mis am beidio â thalu’r dreth gyngor. Cynhaliwyd adolygiad barnwrol yn ddiweddar yn sgil achos menyw o Ben\-y\-bont ar Ogwr. Dangosodd hwn faint o bobl oedd yn cael eu hanfon i’r carchar am ddyledion treth gyngor, a hynny’n anghyfreithlon mewn rhai achosion.

Dywedodd yr Athro Drakeford:


> “Fy marn i yw nad yw mynd i ddyled yn drosedd. Mae cosbi drwy garcharu yn ymateb hen ffasiwn ac anghymesur i fater dyled sifil.
> 
> “Mae cost ychwanegol sylweddol i’r pwrs cyhoeddus o anfon unigolion i’r carchar ac nid yw'r fath gamau yn gwneud dim i fynd i'r afael â'r rhesymau dros y swm sy'n ddyledus i'r awdurdod lleol nac i leihau'r ddyled. Mewn llawer o achosion, mae'n gwneud y sefyllfa’n waeth.
> 
> “Rhaid inni hefyd ystyried yr effaith hirdymor ar les a rhagolygon dyfodol pobl sydd wedi cael eu carcharu, a'r effaith ar eu teuluoedd. Mae hyn yn cael effaith ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill hefyd, gan y bydd angen i’r sawl sydd wedi’i garcharu a’i deulu gael mwy o gefnogaeth, o bosibl."

Mae achosion o ddyledion treth gyngor wedi cynyddu yn sgil penderfyniad Llywodraeth y DU i ddileu budd\-dal y dreth gyngor ym mis Ebrill 2013\. Er mwyn lleddfu effaith y penderfyniad hwn, datblygodd Llywodraeth Cymru gynllun newydd mewn partneriaeth ag awdurdodau lleol, sef Cynllun Gostyngiadau’r Dreth Gyngor.

Er mwyn annog mwy o aelwydydd i fanteisio ar y Cynllun Gostyngiadau, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnal ymgyrch ar y cyd ag awdurdodau lleol a chyrff trydydd sector i godi ymwybyddiaeth o’r gwahanol fathau o gymorth sydd ar gael.

Ychwanegodd yr Athro Drakeford:


> “Ni all Llywodraeth Cymru gymryd camau mewn perthynas â gweithrediad y llysoedd, gan nad yw’r cyfrifoldeb dros hyn wedi'i ddatganoli.
> 
> “Ond mae gennym bwerau i ddiwygio'r drefn orfodi bresennol drwy ddileu'r pŵer i anfon pobl i garchar yng Nghymru am beidio â thalu’r dreth gyngor. Rwy'n credu mai dyma’r peth iawn i'w wneud ar hyn o bryd.
> 
> “Mae yna gamau gorfodi eraill, mwy priodol, y gall awdurdodau lleol eu defnyddio i fynd ar ôl dyledion sifil.”

Yr ymgynghoriad hwn ynglŷn â dileu’r gosb o garchar am beidio â thalu’r dreth gyngor yw’r cam nesaf yn ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud y dreth gyngor yn decach.

Dileu'r gosb o garchar am beidio â thalu treth gyngor