English: I think Members across the whole Chamber will be glad to hear that the Conservatives do finally have a couple of questions at the end of that. I will say to the Member that I finished my statement with the words that I hoped that we can now have a positive, constructive and optimistic conversation. Perhaps that, in itself, was optimistic. The Member has listed a number of consultations and the process we've been through over the last few years. What she failed to mention is the fact that she hasn't supported a single one of those proposals, and neither has she brought forward any proposals of her own. You know, it isn't sufficient - . And let me say this, let me say this very, very clearly: it is an inadequate response to the challenges faced by local government to simply say and repeat speeches that were made one year and two years ago. That's an inadequate response. It's an inadequate response. It's an inadequate response. It's an inadequate response to what is being proposed today, and what is being proposed in this White Paper. Let me say this: the Member concerned, the Conservative party - [ Interruption.] You've asked the questions; I'm quite prepared to sit down if you're not prepared to listen to the answers. Let me say this: the Conservatives describe our local government system as a failed system and a broken system. I reject that. I reject that description. I reject it completely. I reject the criticism that she makes of local government leaders, and I reject the criticism she makes of the way in which local government is currently being managed in Wales. What I want to do is not look for difficulties and look for where there are challenges facing local government. What I want to be able to do is to look at the future for local government and to be positive about that future. The Member asks about voting systems, and she uses some pretty poor language in order to describe her concerns. But I have to say to her, I made that statement - [ Interruption.] I made that statement - I made that statement, in January, on electoral systems. We have not revised that in any way at all, and that forms a part of the basis of what we're saying today. But I hope that the Conservatives will break with the habit of a lifetime and look towards a positive future for local government in Wales. I hope that they will engage in this process - they haven't to date, but I hope that they will do so. And let me emphasise again, Presiding Officer, this is a Green Paper process. It is not a conclusion of a conversation; it is a beginning of a conversation. I want to hear, and I will be proactively seeking to hear, not only what people have to say about the proposals that I make in this document, in this Green Paper, but proposals that others wish to make as well and proposals that they have to empower local authorities, proposals that they have to make local government more robust and more powerful in the future, proposals that they have in order to devolve more powers from this place to local government across Wales, proposals that they have to improve the delivery of services, and proposals that they have in order to strengthen and empower democratic accountability and our local democratic debates across Wales. So far from the Conservatives, whenever the difficult questions are asked, all we hear is a deafening silence.
Welsh: Rwy'n credu y bydd yr Aelodau drwy'r Siambr gyfan yn falch o glywed bod gan y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig gwestiwn neu ddau ar ddiwedd hynny. Byddaf yn dweud wrth yr Aelod imi orffen fy natganiad gyda'r geiriau fy mod yn gobeithio y gallwn ni gael sgwrs gadarnhaol, adeiladol a gobeithiol bellach. Efallai fod hynny, ynddo'i hun, yn obeithiol. Mae'r Aelod wedi rhestru nifer o ymgynghoriadau a'r broses y buom drwyddi dros yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf. Yr hyn na soniodd amdano yw'r ffaith nad yw hi wedi cefnogi dim un o'r cynigion hynny, nac ychwaith wedi cyflwyno unrhyw gynigion ei hun. Wyddoch chi, nid yw'n ddigonol - . A gadewch imi ddweud hyn, gadewch imi ddweud hyn yn gwbl, gwbl eglur: mae'n ymateb annigonol i'r heriau y mae llywodraeth leol yn eu hwynebu i wneud dim amgenach na dweud ac ailadrodd yr areithiau a wnaed flwyddyn a dwy flynedd yn ôl. Mae hynny'n ymateb annigonol. Mae'n ymateb annigonol. Mae'n ymateb annigonol. Mae'n ymateb annigonol i'r hyn a gynigir heddiw, a'r hyn a gynigir yn y Papur Gwyn hwn. Gadewch imi ddweud hyn: mae'r Aelod dan sylw, y Blaid Geidwadol - [ Torri ar draws.] Rydych chi wedi gofyn y cwestiynau; rwyf yn eithaf parod i eistedd os nad ydych chi'n barod i wrando ar yr atebion. Gadewch imi ddweud hyn: mae'r Ceidwadwyr yn disgrifio ein system llywodraeth leol yn system sydd wedi methu a system sydd wedi torri. Rwy'n gwrthod hynny. Rwy'n gwrthod y disgrifiad hwnnw. Rwy'n ei wrthod yn llwyr. Rwy'n gwrthod ei beirniadaeth o arweinwyr llywodraeth leol, ac rwy'n gwrthod ei beirniadaeth o'r ffordd y mae llywodraeth leol ar hyn o bryd yn cael ei rheoli yng Nghymru. Yr hyn yr wyf eisiau ei wneud yw nid edrych am anawsterau ac edrych am yr agweddau hynny lle mae heriau yn wynebu llywodraeth leol. Yr hyn yr wyf eisiau ei wneud yw edrych ar ddyfodol llywodraeth leol a bod yn gadarnhaol am y dyfodol hwnnw. Mae'r Aelod yn gofyn am systemau pleidleisio, ac mae'n defnyddio iaith pur wael er mwyn disgrifio ei phryderon. Ond rhaid imi ddweud wrthi, gwnes y datganiad hwnnw - [ Torri ar draws.] Gwnes y datganiad hwnnw - gwnes y datganiad hwnnw, ym mis Ionawr, ynglŷn â systemau etholiadol. Nid ydym wedi diwygio hynny mewn unrhyw ffordd o gwbl, ac mae hynny yn ffurfio rhan o sail yr hyn yr ydym ni'n ei ddweud heddiw. Ond gobeithio y bydd y Ceidwadwyr yn cefnu ar arfer oes ac yn edrych tuag at ddyfodol cadarnhaol ar gyfer llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru. Rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn rhan o'r broses hon - nid ydyn nhw wedi bod hyd yn hyn, ond rwy'n gobeithio y byddant yn gwneud hynny. A gadewch imi bwysleisio eto, Llywydd, proses Papur Gwyrdd yw hon. Nid terfyn sgwrs; mae'n ddechrau sgwrs. Rwyf eisiau clywed, a byddaf yn ceisio mynd ati'n rhagweithiol i glywed, nid yn unig yr hyn y mae pobl wedi ei ddweud am y cynigion a wnaf yn y ddogfen hon, yn y Papur Gwyrdd hwn, ond cynigion y mae eraill yn dymuno eu gwneud yn ogystal â'r cynigion sydd ganddyn nhw i rymuso awdurdodau lleol, cynigion sydd ganddyn nhw i wneud llywodraeth leol yn fwy cadarn a mwy pwerus yn y dyfodol, cynigion sydd ganddynt er mwyn datganoli mwy o bwerau o'r lle hwn i lywodraeth leol ledled Cymru, cynigion sydd ganddyn nhw i wella'r modd y caiff gwasanaethau eu darparu, a chynigion sydd ganddyn nhw er mwyn cryfhau a grymuso atebolrwydd democrataidd a'n dadleuon democrataidd lleol ledled Cymru. Mor wahanol i'r Ceidwadwyr, pryd bynnag y gofynnir y cwestiynau anodd, y cyfan a glywn yw distawrwydd byddarol.