English: Diolch, acting Presiding Officer. I'd like to firstly declare that I'm still a councillor in Monmouthshire County Council. May I start by thanking Darren Millar and the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this debate today? And thank you, Minister, and I thank everybody for their contributions this afternoon. Acting Presiding Officer, having sat in many Senedds and Assemblies like myself, you will know too that what we've heard today is nothing new. We have heard pleas over and over from Members across Wales, time and time again, as Carolyn Thomas and Janet Finch-Saunders have said, and as Sam Rowlands said, that that formula is inherently out of date and fundamentally unfair. Yet nothing has changed. It is a shame, and it's a particular shame as we have a sixth Senedd that supposedly prides itself on fairness, social justice and equality, a Senedd that proclaims it wants to look after every person in need in Wales. Yet we have a Welsh Labour Government determined not to change a formula that determines local government funding that means that some most in need will be disadvantaged. There is a massive difference between doing the right thing and doing the right thing for your party. It is disappointing to witness the look-after-your-own attitudes that we have seen in this Chamber today. Minister, Labour's standpoint is clearly a politically motivated decision to keep a formula that means that some of the struggling low-income families in Wales out there could be potentially left without the services or support that they need, or have to deal with council tax rises because they happen to live in a rural area, where they work, that is deemed affluent. It is lucky, as Peter Fox has highlighted, that we have councils in these hard-hit areas, like in his own constituency of Monmouthshire County Council, who are consistently at the bottom of the table when these funds are distributed, that are so good at managing money and so innovative in coming up with schemes for their residents that mean that much needed support for their most vulnerable and the less-well-off doesn't have to suffer because of the extraordinarily unfair deal that they receive from this Welsh Government. It is not right, as Janet Finch-Saunders and Gareth have both said, that councils in rural areas in north Wales, those that have significant ageing populations or with severe pockets of deprivation in rural areas, have to consider raising council tax as the only way to save their vital services for their residents. It is not right, as Janet Finch-Saunders said, that we are putting our most vulnerable at risk. As Sam Rowlands, Mike Hedges and Llyr Gruffydd say, many of our councils have been exemplary. The way that our councils have reacted to the pandemic just shows how valuable they are, and I extend my thanks to them also. It was impressive to see how councils were able to reorganise, adapt to where their constituents most needed them; how they became a blanket for the most vulnerable in this national crisis; how councils react to flooding. Whatever is thrown at them, as Mike Hedges said, they are always on the front line, delivering to our constituents. We need our councils, all councils, across the whole of Wales, regardless of which party runs them. They play a vital role in delivering our Senedd's and your Government's aims. As Peter Fox says, if we continue to underfund them, whilst continually putting more pressure on them, then we may even see some councils fall. This comes from someone who has been a council leader for 13 years, who has seen first-hand how a slight percentage change in the funding formula affects the day-to-day running of a council and how it delivers its vital services, and the difficult position that constantly underfunding a council can put it in. The unfairness, as Gareth Davies says, cannot continue. We have a formula that uses out-of-date data, as Sam Rowlands has pointed out time and time again in this debate. As Llyr Gruffydd said, there are winners and losers in any formula, but we need to find a formula that is fair, the fairest possible formula that we can have. He also raises important things that we need to take into account in any review of using census data or a funding floor. For two decades now, since the formula was established, rurality has been overlooked. As the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Members have said today in this debate, rurality needs to be factored in. Its vast areas demand more money. Put very simply, Minister, like Peter Fox said, the cost of collecting rubbish from 100 terraced houses compared to 100 spaced-out farms is going to be hugely different in terms of time and fuel costs. The Welsh Government's funding formula for local government doesn't take this into account; it is fundamentally flawed and fails to recognise the challenges of delivering services in rural areas. Rural councils simply cannot deliver some of the efficiencies that can be driven in small, geographical areas in the way that cities and Valleys councils can. Newport now has one household waste and recycling centre; English-medium post-16 education in Torfaen is delivered from a single campus, the Torfaen learning zone. That's brilliant, but these are two examples of efficiencies that cannot be achieved in a sparsely populated rural area where you need smaller, accessible schools and services within reasonable travel distances. We have an ageing population. As Gareth said, we are on the brink of facing a crisis in our councils due to the enormous extra pressures that an ageing population brings, particularly in our health and social care budgets in councils. As Sam Rowlands said, it is a problem and a financial pressure that is only going to get worse. We've heard from the Minister today about how councils like Monmouthshire have had the best settlement yet. Although in part this is true and very welcome, as we've said, it is not entirely true, is it? If this Welsh Government were to continue giving money in that fashion year on year in the same way, it would certainly be something to celebrate, but it's not, is it? It is a good amount, Minister, in this first headline-grabbing 'there's an election coming' year, but what about the years to follow? It's funding, particularly post pandemic, that will be going down. Funding, particularly post pandemic, and particularly when we're facing a cost-of-living crisis, needs to go up year on year to at least fall in line with rises in inflation. That's the reality. So, there is a bit of smoke and mirrors going on here today, if you're honest, Minister. As Sam Rowlands and all our Conservative Members have said here today, we welcome the money, but it's not the answer and it's certainly not all you claim it to be. As Peter said, his constituency of Monmouthshire is the lowest funded council in Wales, receiving just £1,176 per head of population, yet some neighbouring urban councils receive as much as £1,881 per head. Even the second and third lowest councils, the Vale of Glamorgan and Flintshire - £1,372 and £1,476 respectively - receive significantly more than Monmouthshire. As my colleague Peter says, if Monmouthshire was funded at the Welsh average, the council would receive an extra £40 million every year to put into front-line services. The gap between the best and worst councils in Wales has simply got too wide, and it does impact on the running of the council and the success of bids, as Carolyn Thomas says. Even this year, with Monmouthshire receiving the largest percentage increase of 11.2 per cent, following years of underfunding, the gap between Monmouthshire and other councils continues to widen. This is completely unsustainable and speaks volumes about the attitudes of this Welsh Government towards rural Wales. Cross-party leaders in the WLGA have all relayed their major concerns on the unfair formula, with the obvious exception of some, as it's like turkeys voting for Christmas. We urgently need an independent external review of funding for local government to ensure that it delivers fair funding for all parts of Wales. [ Interruption.] Monmouthshire as well, yes. After two decades of a funding formula for local government that has punished north Wales - as Janet, Gareth, Sam and Carolyn has said - has punished rural areas, doesn't take into account an ageing population or pockets of deprivation in rural areas, it is now time, time to have a Senedd that's true to its word of making Wales an equal Wales, to have a Government that will establish an independent review, or something in line with what you're doing with council tax, and seek to change the unfair, out-of-date funding formula and the way that local government is funded for good. Thank you, again, everybody, for your contributions and to Plaid Cymru for your support. I hope that Members across this Chamber today will vote for our motion and do what is right for all of Wales, not just for your party.
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd dros dro. Hoffwn ddatgan yn gyntaf fy mod yn dal i fod yn gynghorydd yng Nghyngor Sir Fynwy. A gaf fi ddechrau drwy ddiolch i Darren Millar a'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon heddiw? A diolch, Weinidog, a diolch i bawb am eu cyfraniadau y prynhawn yma. Lywydd dros dro, a chithau fel finnau wedi eistedd mewn llawer o Seneddau a Chynulliadau, fe fyddwch chi hefyd yn gwybod nad yw'r hyn a glywsom heddiw yn ddim byd newydd. Rydym wedi clywed dadleuon drosodd a throsodd gan Aelodau ledled Cymru, dro ar ôl tro, fel y dywedodd Carolyn Thomas a Janet Finch-Saunders, ac fel y dywedodd Sam Rowlands, fod y fformiwla honno wedi dyddio ac yn sylfaenol annheg. Ac eto, nid oes unrhyw beth wedi newid. Mae'n drueni, ac mae'n drueni arbennig gan fod gennym chweched Senedd sy'n ymfalchïo mewn tegwch, cyfiawnder cymdeithasol a chydraddoldeb, Senedd sy'n honni ei bod eisiau gofalu am bob person mewn angen yng Nghymru. Ac eto, mae gennym Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru sy'n benderfynol o beidio â newid fformiwla sy'n pennu cyllid llywodraeth leol mewn ffordd sy'n golygu y bydd rhai o'r bobl fwyaf anghenus o dan anfantais. Mae gwahaniaeth enfawr rhwng gwneud y peth iawn a gwneud y peth iawn i'ch plaid. Mae'n siomedig gweld yr agweddau pleidiol a welsom yn y Siambr hon heddiw. Weinidog, mae safbwynt Llafur yn amlwg yn benderfyniad gwleidyddol i gadw fformiwla sy'n golygu y gallai rhai o'r teuluoedd incwm isel sy'n ei chael hi'n anodd yng Nghymru orfod mynd heb y gwasanaethau a'r cymorth sydd eu hangen arnynt, neu orfod ymdopi â chodiadau i'r dreth gyngor am eu bod yn digwydd byw mewn ardal wledig, lle maent yn gweithio, sy'n cael ei hystyried yn gyfoethog. Mae'n ffodus, fel y nododd Peter Fox, fod gennym gynghorau yn yr ardaloedd hyn a gafodd eu taro'n galed, fel yn ei etholaeth ei hun yng Nghyngor Sir Fynwy, sydd ar waelod y tabl yn gyson pan gaiff yr arian ei ddosbarthu, ac sydd mor dda am reoli arian ac mor arloesol wrth lunio cynlluniau i'w trigolion fel nad oes rhaid i'r cymorth mawr ei angen i'w pobl fwyaf agored i niwed a'r rhai llai cefnog ddioddef oherwydd y fargen eithriadol o annheg y maent wedi'i chael gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Nid yw'n iawn, fel y dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders a Gareth, fod yn rhaid i gynghorau mewn ardaloedd gwledig yng ngogledd Cymru, y rhai sydd â phoblogaeth sy'n heneiddio o faint sylweddol neu sydd â phocedi difrifol o amddifadedd mewn ardaloedd gwledig, ystyried codi'r dreth gyngor fel yr unig ffordd o achub eu gwasanaethau hanfodol i'w trigolion. Nid yw'n iawn, fel y dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders, ein bod yn peryglu ein pobl fwyaf agored i niwed. Fel y dywed Sam Rowlands, Mike Hedges a Llyr Gruffydd, mae llawer o'n cynghorau wedi bod yn rhagorol. Mae'r ffordd y mae ein cynghorau wedi ymateb i'r pandemig yn dangos pa mor werthfawr ydynt, a hoffwn innau ddiolch iddynt hefyd. Roedd yn drawiadol gweld sut y llwyddodd cynghorau i ad-drefnu, addasu i wneud y pethau yr oedd eu hetholwyr eu hangen fwyaf; sut y daethant yn garthen i'r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn yr argyfwng cenedlaethol hwn; sut y mae cynghorau'n ymateb i lifogydd. Beth bynnag sy'n cael ei daflu atynt, fel y dywedodd Mike Hedges, maent bob amser ar y rheng flaen, yn cyflawni ar gyfer ein hetholwyr. Mae arnom angen ein cynghorau, pob cyngor, ledled Cymru gyfan, ni waeth pa blaid sy'n eu harwain. Maent yn chwarae rhan allweddol yn cyflawni nodau ein Senedd a'ch Llywodraeth. Fel y dywed Peter Fox, os byddwn yn parhau i'w tanariannu, gan roi mwy o bwysau arnynt yn barhaus, efallai y gwelwn rai cynghorau'n methu. Daw hyn gan rywun sydd wedi bod yn arweinydd cyngor ers 13 mlynedd, sydd wedi gweld yn uniongyrchol sut y mae newid canrannol bach yn y fformiwla ariannu yn effeithio ar sut y caiff cyngor ei redeg o ddydd i ddydd a sut y mae'n darparu ei wasanaethau hanfodol, a'r sefyllfa anodd y mae tanariannu cyson yn gallu rhoi cyngor ynddi. Fel y dywed Gareth Davies, ni all yr annhegwch barhau. Mae gennym fformiwla sy'n defnyddio data sydd wedi dyddio, fel y mae Sam Rowlands wedi'i nodi dro ar ôl tro yn y ddadl hon. Fel y dywedodd Llyr Gruffydd, mae enillwyr a chollwyr mewn unrhyw fformiwla, ond mae angen inni ddod o hyd i fformiwla sy'n deg, y fformiwla decaf bosibl y gallwn ei chael. Mae hefyd yn codi pethau pwysig y mae angen inni eu hystyried mewn unrhyw adolygiad o ddefnyddio data'r cyfrifiad neu gyllid gwaelodol. Ers dau ddegawd bellach, ers sefydlu'r fformiwla, mae natur wledig ardaloedd wedi cael ei anwybyddu. Fel y mae Aelodau'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a Phlaid Cymru wedi dweud heddiw yn y ddadl hon, mae angen ystyried natur wledig ardaloedd. Mae eu hardaloedd enfawr yn galw am fwy o arian. Yn syml iawn, Weinidog, fel y dywedodd Peter Fox, bydd y gost o gasglu sbwriel o 100 o dai teras o'i gymharu â 100 o ffermydd gwasgaredig yn wahanol iawn mewn amser a chostau tanwydd. Nid yw fformiwla ariannu Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer llywodraeth leol yn ystyried hyn; mae'n sylfaenol ddiffygiol ac nid yw'n cydnabod yr heriau o ddarparu gwasanaethau mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Ni all cynghorau gwledig gyflawni rhai o'r arbedion effeithlonrwydd y gellir eu cyflawni mewn ardaloedd bach yn ddaearyddol yn y ffordd y gall cynghorau dinasoedd a chynghorau'r Cymoedd. Erbyn hyn mae gan Gasnewydd un ganolfan gwastraff cartref ac ailgylchu; darperir addysg ôl-16 cyfrwng Saesneg yn Nhorfaen o un campws, sef parth dysgu Torfaen. Mae hynny'n wych, ond mae'r rhain yn ddwy enghraifft o arbedion effeithlonrwydd na ellir eu cyflawni mewn ardal wledig denau ei phoblogaeth lle mae angen ysgolion a gwasanaethau llai, mwy hygyrch arnoch o fewn pellteroedd teithio rhesymol. Mae gennym boblogaeth sy'n heneiddio. Fel y dywedodd Gareth, rydym ar fin wynebu argyfwng yn ein cynghorau oherwydd y pwysau ychwanegol enfawr a ddaw yn sgil poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio, yn enwedig yng nghyllidebau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol cynghorau. Fel y dywedodd Sam Rowlands, mae'n broblem ac yn bwysau ariannol a fydd yn gwaethygu. Clywsom gan y Gweinidog heddiw sut y mae cynghorau fel sir Fynwy wedi cael y setliad gorau hyd yma. Er bod hyn yn rhannol wir ac i'w groesawu'n fawr, fel rydym wedi'i ddweud, nid yw'n gwbl wir. Pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i roi arian yn y modd hwnnw flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn, byddai'n sicr yn rhywbeth i'w ddathlu, ond nid yw'n mynd i wneud hynny. Mae'n swm da, Weinidog, yn y flwyddyn gyntaf hon o gipio'r pennawd ac 'mae etholiad yn dod', ond beth am y blynyddoedd i ddilyn? Mae'n gyllid a fydd yn gostwng, yn enwedig ar ôl y pandemig. Mae angen i gyllid, yn enwedig ar ôl y pandemig, ac yn enwedig pan fyddwn yn wynebu argyfwng costau byw, godi o flwyddyn i flwyddyn i wrthbwyso'r cynnydd mewn chwyddiant fan lleiaf. Dyna'r realiti. Felly, mae rhywfaint o gamliwio'n digwydd yma heddiw, os ydych chi'n onest, Weinidog. Fel y mae Sam Rowlands a'n holl Aelodau Ceidwadol wedi'i ddweud yma heddiw, rydym yn croesawu'r arian, ond nid dyna'r ateb ac yn sicr nid yw'n bopeth yr ydych yn honni ei fod. Fel y dywedodd Peter, ei etholaeth yn sir Fynwy yw'r cyngor sy'n cael leiaf o arian yng Nghymru, ar ddim ond £1,176 y pen, ac eto mae rhai cynghorau trefol cyfagos yn cael cymaint â £1,881 y pen. Mae hyd yn oed yr ail a'r trydydd cyngor isaf, Bro Morgannwg a sir y Fflint - £1,372 a £1,476 yn y drefn honno - yn cael llawer mwy na sir Fynwy. Fel y dywed fy nghyd-Aelod, Peter, pe bai sir Fynwy yn cael ei hariannu yn ôl cyfartaledd Cymru, byddai'r cyngor yn cael £40 miliwn ychwanegol bob blwyddyn i'w wario ar wasanaethau rheng flaen. Mae'r bwlch rhwng y cynghorau a ariennir orau ac a ariennir waethaf yng Nghymru wedi mynd yn rhy fawr, ac mae'n effeithio ar y gwaith o redeg y cyngor a llwyddiant ceisiadau, fel y dywed Carolyn Thomas. Hyd yn oed eleni, gyda sir Fynwy yn cael y cynnydd canrannol mwyaf, sef 11.2 y cant, yn dilyn blynyddoedd o danariannu, mae'r bwlch rhwng sir Fynwy a chynghorau eraill yn parhau i dyfu. Mae hyn yn gwbl anghynaliadwy ac mae'n siarad cyfrolau am agweddau'r Llywodraeth hon tuag at y Gymru wledig. Mae arweinwyr trawsbleidiol CLlLC i gyd wedi mynegi eu prif bryderon am y fformiwla annheg, gyda rhai eithriadau amlwg, oherwydd mae fel tyrcwn yn pleidleisio dros y Nadolig. Mae arnom angen adolygiad allanol annibynnol o drefn ariannu llywodraeth leol ar frys i sicrhau ei bod yn darparu cyllid teg i bob rhan o Gymru. [ Torri ar draws.] Sir Fynwy hefyd, ie. Ar ôl dau ddegawd o fformiwla ariannu llywodraeth leol sydd wedi cosbi gogledd Cymru - fel y dywedodd Janet, Gareth, Sam a Carolyn - sydd wedi cosbi ardaloedd gwledig, nad yw'n ystyried poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio na phocedi o amddifadedd mewn ardaloedd gwledig, mae'n bryd bellach inni gael Senedd sy'n cadw at ei haddewid i wneud Cymru'n Gymru gyfartal, i gael Llywodraeth a fydd yn sefydlu adolygiad annibynnol, neu rywbeth tebyg yn unol â'r hyn a wnewch gyda'r dreth gyngor, a cheisio newid y fformiwla ariannu annheg sydd wedi dyddio a'r ffordd y caiff llywodraeth leol ei hariannu unwaith ac am byth. Diolch, unwaith eto, i bawb, am eich cyfraniadau ac i Blaid Cymru am eich cefnogaeth. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd yr Aelodau ar draws y Siambr heddiw yn pleidleisio o blaid ein cynnig ac yn gwneud yr hyn sy'n iawn i Gymru gyfan, nid dim ond i'ch plaid chi.