English: The petition, of course, relates to a specific issue and to which version of the code should be followed in a particular case on Ynys Môn - the old version or the new edition; 2013 rather than 2018. Now, I have no specific comments to make on that particular case or which version should be used. That's an issue of great detail that needs consideration. But I would like to take this opportunity to make a few general comments on this whole issue of rural education in small schools. The new code does note that a series of procedures and more detailed requirements must be gone through in making a decision to close a rural school. But, as the Cabinet Secretary herself has said, and as others have highlighted already, the presumption against the closure of rural schools doesn't mean that they would never close. I am entirely convinced that local authorities do give full consideration to the impact of any closure, code or not, and that federation and multi-site schools are very real options, and we need to take that into account. Nobody, of course, wants to see a small school close. There are family links, there are emotional connections, schools can be the heart of a community - that's not always the case, but certainly in some communities they are crucially important to those communities. There are numerous examples of schools that are a very long way away from their neighbouring schools; it could be as much as 20 miles. Clearly, such schools do need to be considered in a very specific way, because that travelling distance is going to have a huge impact on the pupil and the education of that pupil. But, as Rhun has already mentioned, rural education needs resources, and its those resources that are so scarce at the moment. Therefore, I have every sympathy with local authorities who are trying to strike that balance between maintaining buildings that are now too large for the pupil needs and high staff costs, and balancing that on the one hand with the need to provide the best possible opportunity to all pupils within the area of that authority to reach their potential. There is one pot of funding available, and very often councillors need to take very difficult and unpopular decisions if they want to ensure fairness for all children. So, for the code to be meaningful, it does have to be supported by resources, and they have to be sufficient resources. Unfortunately, we know how difficult that is in these days of austerity.
Welsh: Mae'r ddeiseb, wrth gwrs, yn ymwneud â mater penodol ac ynglŷn â pha fersiwn o'r cod y dylid ei ddefnyddio mewn achos arbennig ar Ynys Môn - hynny yw, yr hen fersiwn ynteu'r fersiwn newydd; 2013 yn hytrach na 2018. Nid oes gen i ddim sylwadau penodol i'w gwneud am yr achos yna nac ar ba un ydy'r fersiwn y dylid cael ei ddefnyddio. Mae hwn yn fater manwl iawn sydd angen ystyriaeth. Ond hoffwn i gymryd y cyfle jest i wneud ychydig o sylwadau cyffredinol ynglŷn â'r holl faes addysg wledig ac ysgolion bach. Mae'r cod newydd yn nodi bod yn rhaid dilyn cyfres o weithdrefnau a gofynion manylach wrth benderfynu cau ysgol wledig. Ond fel y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ei hun wedi'i ddweud, ac fel y mae eraill wedi tynnu sylw ato fo yn barod, nid yw rhagdybiaeth yn erbyn cau ysgolion gwledig yn golygu na fyddant byth yn cau. Rydw i'n siŵr - rydw i'n hollol sicr - fod awdurdodau lleol yn rhoi ystyriaeth lawn ar effaith unrhyw gau, cod neu beidio, a bod ffedereiddio, ysgolion aml-safle yn opsiynau real iawn, a bod eisiau cymryd hynny i ystyriaeth. Nid oes neb, wrth gwrs, eisiau gweld ysgol fach yn cau. Mae yna ymlyniad teuluol, mae yna ymlyniad emosiynol, mae ysgolion yn gallu bod yn ganolbwynt cymunedol - ddim bob tro, ond mewn rhai cymunedau maen nhw'n hollbwysig i ffyniant y cymunedau hynny. Mae yna enghreifftiau lu o ysgolion sydd yn bell iawn o'r ysgol nesaf - ysgolion sydd 20 milltir i ffwrdd o'i gilydd. Mae'n amlwg bod ysgolion felly angen cael eu meddwl amdanyn nhw'n benodol, achos mae'r teithio yn mynd i fod yn cael effaith andwyol ar blentyn ac ar addysg y plentyn yna. Ond, fel y mae Rhun wedi sôn, mae addysg gwledig angen adnoddau, a'r adnoddau hynny'n sy'n brin ar hyn o bryd. Mae gen i felly bob cydymdeimlad efo awdurdodau lleol sy'n ceisio cael y balans rhwng cynnal adeiladau sydd bellach yn rhy fawr ar gyfer yr anghenion presennol a thalu costau staffio trwm - balansio hynny ar yr un llaw - a'r angen i roi'r cyfle gorau posibl i bob plentyn o fewn dalgylch yr awdurdod yna i gyrraedd eu llawn potensial. Un pot o bres sydd yna ar gael, ac yn aml mae angen i gynghorwyr gymryd penderfyniadau anodd, amhoblogaidd os ydyn nhw am greu tegwch ar gyfer pob plentyn. Felly, i'r cod fod yn ystyrlon, mae'n rhaid iddo fo gael ei gefnogi gan adnoddau, a'r rheini yn adnoddau digonol. Yn anffodus, rydym ni'n gwybod pa mor anodd ydy hynny yn y dyddiau yma o gynnu a llymder.