English: Can I first put on record my thanks to the Chairman of the committee, John Griffiths, for his chairmanship and work in producing today's committee report, alongside my committee colleagues, the Ministers who gave evidence, the clerks, the committee's support team, of course, and the raft of organisations who provided evidence for the report we're considering here today? And as in the Chairman's foreword to today's committee report on community assets, they make such a big contribution to the lives of people who live in our communities, and I think sometimes we forget about that and, sadly, we only remember that when it's too late, when those really important community buildings, assets, pieces of land are no longer available to our communities. I think it's important for all of us to take a moment and to consider those assets that are in our communities, amongst those people who we represent, to make sure they're being best used for our communities. Throughout our committee work, we found that there many different types of community assets across Wales, all of which bring immense benefits to the people we represent and their well-being. Those assets ranging from libraries to pubs, which we all seem to appreciate, community centres, and then we have to get ourselves down to the leisure centres as well. But such a range of these community assets make a difference. I think it's part of the challenge, when we talk about community assets, with such a broad group of things that we could be talking about here. But they are often crucial hubs in local areas, allowing people to learn new skills, come together, to socialise, to remove some of those barriers from people's lives that prevent them from meeting and being with friends. They are important for local communities in making sure that opportunities for community empowerment are maximised as well. I was pleased to see Welsh Government accepting recommendation 2, calling on them to review and update existing guidance on community asset transfers. I think this is welcome, because there does seem to be some significant inconsistency across Wales, but also, at times, within local authorities when it comes to those asset transfers. I was also pleased that recommendation 12, which calls on the Welsh Government to establish a community asset fund, was accepted within there as well. Of course, a key aspect of ensuring the importance and success of community assets is sharing good practice. I'll just take a few moments to focus on that sharing of good practice, because it's something that came up time and time again when, as committee members, we visited a number of these community-run assets. I had the privilege of going along to a few of these places, including Antur Nantlle, Ty'n Llan and Partneriaeth Ogwen as well, all of which had some great experience and expertise in that community asset transfer process, but all of which also said that they would like to work more closely with other organisations who've gone through similar experiences, to understand, to learn and to share some of that best practice. Because these organisations who have done it once have been through the pain, they know where the pitfalls are and are more than willing to share and work with others, because it can be quite daunting, of course, when it comes to looking to take a community asset on. So, I think there's a piece of work there that needs to be understood more, and making sure we're linking together those who've been through that experience with those who want to go through that experience as well. We talked about the number of obstacles and challenges that face local communities when they attempt to assume control of these community assets, and, as stated by the Institute of Welsh Affairs, Welsh communities appear to be among the least empowered in Great Britain, with the limited system that is present being 'entirely driven by a top-down approach.' There's also a concern across some local authorities - [ Interruption.] Yes, sure.
Welsh: A gaf fi gofnodi fy niolch yn gyntaf i Gadeirydd y pwyllgor, John Griffiths, am ei gadeiryddiaeth a'i waith yn llunio adroddiad y pwyllgor heddiw, ochr yn ochr â fy nghyd-aelodau o'r pwyllgor, y Gweinidogion a roddodd dystiolaeth, y clercod, tîm cymorth y pwyllgor, wrth gwrs, a'r llu o sefydliadau a ddarparodd dystiolaeth ar gyfer yr adroddiad rydym yn ei ystyried yma heddiw? Ac fel yn rhagair y Cadeirydd i adroddiad y pwyllgor heddiw ar asedau cymunedol, maent yn gwneud cyfraniad mor fawr i fywydau pobl sy'n byw yn ein cymunedau, a chredaf weithiau ein bod yn anghofio am hynny, ac yn anffodus, ni chofiwn hynny nes y bydd hi'n rhy hwyr, pan nad yw'r adeiladau cymunedol hynod bwysig hynny, yr asedau, y darnau o dir ar gael i'n cymunedau mwyach. Credaf ei bod yn bwysig i bob un ohonom roi eiliad i ystyried yr asedau sydd yn ein cymunedau, ynghanol y bobl rydym yn eu cynrychioli, i sicrhau eu bod yn cael eu defnyddio yn y ffordd orau ar gyfer ein cymunedau. Drwy ein gwaith fel pwyllgor, gwelsom fod yna lawer o wahanol fathau o asedau cymunedol ledled Cymru, gyda phob un ohonynt yn darparu manteision aruthrol i'r bobl rydym yn eu cynrychioli a'u llesiant. Mae'r asedau hynny'n amrywio o lyfrgelloedd i dafarndai, y mae pob un ohonom i'n gweld yn eu gwerthfawrogi, canolfannau cymunedol, ac yna mae'n rhaid inni fynd i'r canolfannau hamdden hefyd. Ond mae ystod mor fawr o'r asedau cymunedol hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth. Credaf fod hynny'n rhan o'r her, pan fyddwn yn sôn am asedau cymunedol, gyda grŵp mor eang o bethau y gallem fod yn sôn amdanynt yma. Ond maent yn aml yn hybiau hollbwysig mewn ardaloedd lleol, sy'n galluogi pobl i ddysgu sgiliau newydd, i ddod at ei gilydd, i gymdeithasu, i gael gwared ar rai o'r rhwystrau ym mywydau pobl sy'n eu hatal rhag cyfarfod â ffrindiau. Maent yn bwysig i gymunedau lleol er mwyn sicrhau cymaint â phosibl o gyfleoedd i rymuso cymunedau hefyd. Roeddwn yn falch o weld Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn argymhelliad 2, a oedd yn galw arnynt i adolygu a diweddaru'r canllawiau presennol ar drosglwyddo asedau cymunedol. Credaf fod hyn i'w groesawu, gan yr ymddengys bod anghysondeb sylweddol ledled Cymru, ond hefyd, ar adegau, o fewn awdurdodau lleol mewn perthynas â throsglwyddo asedau. Roeddwn hefyd yn falch fod argymhelliad 12, sy'n galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i sefydlu cronfa asedau cymunedol, wedi'i dderbyn yno hefyd. Wrth gwrs, un agwedd allweddol ar sicrhau pwysigrwydd a llwyddiant asedau cymunedol yw rhannu arferion da. Fe roddaf ychydig funudau i ganolbwyntio ar rannu'r arferion da hynny, gan ei fod yn rhywbeth a gododd dro ar ôl tro pan fuom, fel aelodau'r pwyllgor, yn ymweld â nifer o'r asedau hyn sy'n cael eu rhedeg gan y gymuned. Cefais y fraint o fynd draw i rai o'r lleoedd hyn, gan gynnwys Antur Nantlle, Ty'n Llan a Phartneriaeth Ogwen hefyd, ac roedd gan bob un ohonynt brofiad ardderchog ac arbenigedd mewn perthynas â'r broses o drosglwyddo asedau cymunedol, ond roedd pob un ohonynt yn dweud hefyd y byddent yn hoffi gweithio'n agosach gyda sefydliadau eraill sydd wedi mynd drwy brofiadau tebyg, i ddeall, i ddysgu ac i rannu rhywfaint o'r arferion gorau hynny. Gan fod y sefydliadau sydd wedi gwneud hyn unwaith wedi bod drwy'r boen, maent yn gwybod ble mae'r elfennau trafferthus ac maent yn fwy na pharod i rannu a gweithio gydag eraill, gan y gall fod yn eithaf brawychus, wrth gwrs, pan ddaw'n fater o gymryd rheolaeth ar ased cymunedol. Felly, credaf fod angen deall y gwaith hwnnw'n well, a sicrhau ein bod yn cysylltu'r rheini sydd wedi bod drwy'r profiad hwnnw â'r rheini sydd am fynd drwy'r profiad hwnnw hefyd. Buom yn sôn am nifer o'r rhwystrau a'r heriau sy'n wynebu cymunedau lleol pan fyddant yn ceisio rheoli'r asedau cymunedol hyn, ac fel y nodwyd gan y Sefydliad Materion Cymreig, ymddengys bod cymunedau Cymru ymhlith y rhai sydd wedi'u grymuso leiaf ym Mhrydain, gyda'r system gyfyngedig sy'n bodoli ar hyn o bryd 'yn cael ei gyrru o'r brig i'r bôn.' Ceir pryder hefyd ar draws rhai awdurdodau lleol - [ Torri ar draws.] Iawn, wrth gwrs.