English: You are a very benevolent Llywydd, thank you very much. Can I start by thanking Rhys ab Owen for bringing this short debate forward today? And he set upon a tactic that I quite like, which is getting seven speakers to contribute to your debate so you don't have to say very much yourself. I have noticed; well done to you. Well done to you, Rhys. I just wanted to speak in support of that IWA report that we've heard references to throughout, but it's pretty damning, and it's worth repeating that Wales has the least empowered communities in the whole of the UK, and that's really not a statistic to be proud of. The report also talks about a demoralising scenario for groups with little process for communities to take ownership of public or private assets, and, rather than letting community assets and buildings be sold off or run down, we need to ensure Welsh Government does all it can to let those who value the most our communities protect them for generations to come. It does concern me, though, that the Welsh Government simply doesn't get it. In response to a question from my colleague Mark Isherwood yesterday in First Minister's questions, the First Minister said: 'Our view of it is that a partnership arrangement' comes in place 'with the help of a public body' and I think the First Minister is missing the point completely. Communities and community groups want to operate independently, without the say-so of a public body or of the Welsh Government. So, it's really, really important that they get that, they take that report on board, and I thank Rhys ab Owen once again for bringing this debate forward.
Welsh: Rydych yn garedig iawn, Lywydd, diolch yn fawr. A gaf fi ddechrau drwy ddiolch i Rhys ab Owen am gyflwyno'r ddadl fer hon heddiw? Ac fe soniodd am dacteg rwy'n ei hoffi, sef cael saith siaradwr i gyfrannu at eich dadl fel nad oes rhaid i chi ddweud llawer iawn eich hun. Fe sylwais; da iawn chi. Da iawn chi, Rhys. Roeddwn am siarad o blaid adroddiad y Sefydliad Materion Cymreig y clywsom gyfeirio ato drwy'r ddadl, ond mae'n eithaf beirniadol, ac mae'n werth ailadrodd mai gan Gymru y mae'r cymunedau sydd wedi'u grymuso leiaf yn y DU gyfan, ac nid yw hwnnw'n ystadegyn i ymfalchïo ynddo. Mae'r adroddiad hefyd yn sôn am senario ddigalon i grwpiau heb fawr o broses i gymunedau allu cael perchnogaeth ar asedau cyhoeddus neu breifat, ac yn hytrach na gadael i asedau ac adeiladau cymunedol gael eu gwerthu neu ddirywio, mae angen inni sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud popeth yn ei gallu i adael i'r rheini sy'n trysori ein cymunedau fwyaf eu diogelu am genedlaethau i ddod. Fodd bynnag, mae'n peri pryder i mi nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn deall. Mewn ymateb i gwestiwn gan fy nghyd-Aelod, Mark Isherwood, ddoe yn y cwestiynau i'r Prif Weinidog, dywedodd y Prif Weinidog: 'Ein safbwynt ni yw y gall trefniant partneriaeth' ddod ar waith 'gyda chymorth corff cyhoeddus' a chredaf fod y Prif Weinidog yn methu'r pwynt yn llwyr. Mae cymunedau a grwpiau cymunedol am weithredu'n annibynnol, heb i gorff cyhoeddus na Llywodraeth Cymru ddweud wrthynt beth i'w wneud. Felly, mae'n wirioneddol bwysig eu bod yn deall hynny, eu bod yn ystyried yr adroddiad hwnnw, a diolch i Rhys ab Owen unwaith eto am gyflwyno'r ddadl hon.