English: The Green Paper consultation set out proposals to create larger, stronger and more sustainable councils as we set out in our manifesto. The Green Paper offered three possible routes to achieve this: voluntary mergers; phased mergers with comprehensive mergers at the local government elections after next; and comprehensive mergers at the earliest opportunity. It also highlighted other proposals for consideration, including wider recognition of the valuable contribution of elected members, the potential scope for sharing services and additional powers, and flexibilities for local authorities. It also recognised the importance of continuing with clear, determined regional working by authorities, which is already seeing benefits to many services. The Green Paper proposed a specified future footprint for local government reform. I was very clear from the outset that I believed that such a footprint would be important to deliver consistent and transparent change, and we have been engaged in a discussion on what this might look like, if and how it might be applied. In total, Presiding Officer, we received over 170 responses to this consultation, and today, I will be publishing a summary of those responses. I am pleased that we have had responses from across Welsh society and that many members of the public responded, demonstrating the value that they place on local democratic accountability. The majority of those who responded were in favour of creating fewer, larger local authorities and this was particularly reflected in the responses from members of the public. At the same time, the vast majority of local authorities were not supportive of such change in principle, although there was an openness to locally led voluntary change. I have said throughout this consultation that I was not wedded to any single map and that I was inviting debate and proposals for an alternative to the options we set out. It is plain from the responses to the Green Paper that there is no clear agreement on a definitive map, but at the same time, no alternative has been offered. I have listened carefully throughout the consultation and have always said that I want to work with local government to agree in partnership a way to ensure a sustainable future for local communities. However, no change is not an option, and neither is finding more money at a time of continuing austerity and the confusion over Brexit. I want to work with local government to agree a shared vision for the future, and to jointly develop solutions to the challenges they face. Those challenges about how we maintain progressive public services in the context of long-term austerity are simply not going to go away. The consultation has suggested that there is an appetite amongst local government to work together to progress voluntary mergers and to increase and improve regional working. I therefore intend to introduce the local government (Wales) Bill early next year to legislate to enable this to move ahead at the earliest opportunity. This, Presiding Officer, was confirmed by the First Minister earlier today. The Bill will also make provision for electoral reform, changes to the governance and performance arrangements for local government, and a number of other proposals, including the general power of competence, which has been broadly supported at consultation. But we cannot ignore or move away from the need for more fundamental reform. I therefore intend to establish, in partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association, an independent working group to drive a shared approach that will shape the future of local government and service delivery in the future. I'm very pleased to say that Derek Vaughan has agreed to carry out the role of chair of this group, and the membership of the group will be drawn largely from local government and supported by a joint Welsh Government and WLGA secretariat. It will take into account the broad range of views and ideas expressed during the consultation period and debate. The group will be charged with proposing a way forward on structures, additional powers, flexibilities and support for change. The output will be a farsighted and long-term plan for change and will include proposals for structural change driven by local government and how those changes and this process and programme of reform might best be supported by and through Welsh Government. Presiding Officer, I will continue to update Members on the work of the group as it progresses.
Welsh: Roedd yr ymgynghoriad Papur Gwyrdd yn amlinellu cynigion i greu cynghorau mwy o faint, cryfach a mwy cynaliadwy, fel y nodwyd yn ein maniffesto. Roedd y Papur Gwyrdd yn cynnig tri llwybr posibl i gyflawni hyn: uno gwirfoddol; uno graddol gydag uno cynhwysfawr yn yr etholiadau llywodraeth leol ar ôl y nesaf; ac uno cynhwysfawr cyn gynted â phosibl. Roedd hefyd yn tynnu sylw at gynigion eraill i'w hystyried, gan gynnwys cydnabyddiaeth ehangach i gyfraniad gwerthfawr aelodau etholedig, y cwmpas posibl ar gyfer rhannu gwasanaethau a phwerau ychwanegol, a hyblygrwydd i awdurdodau lleol. Roedd hefyd yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd parhau â gwaith rhanbarthol clir, penderfynol gan awdurdodau, sydd eisoes yn gweld manteision i lawer o wasanaethau. Roedd y Papur Gwyrdd yn cynnig ôl troed penodol ar gyfer dyfodol diwygio llywodraeth leol. Roeddwn i'n glir iawn o'r dechrau fy mod i'n credu y byddai ôl troed o'r fath yn bwysig i gyflawni newid cyson a thryloyw, ac rydym wedi bod yn cymryd rhan mewn trafodaeth ynglŷn â sut y gallai hyn edrych, os a sut y gellid ei ddefnyddio. At ei gilydd, Llywydd, cawsom dros 170 o ymatebion i'r ymgynghoriad hwn, a heddiw, byddaf yn cyhoeddi crynodeb o'r ymatebion hynny. Rwy'n falch ein bod wedi cael ymatebion o bob rhan o gymdeithas Cymru a bod llawer o aelodau o'r cyhoedd wedi ymateb, gan ddangos y gwerth y maen nhw'n ei roi ar atebolrwydd democrataidd lleol. Roedd y mwyafrif o'r rhai a ymatebodd o blaid creu nifer llai o awdurdodau lleol mwy o faint, a chafodd hyn ei adlewyrchu'n arbennig yn yr ymatebion gan y cyhoedd. Ar yr un pryd, doedd y rhan fwyaf o awdurdodau lleol ddim yn gefnogol i newid o'r fath mewn egwyddor, er eu bod yn agored i newid gwirfoddol wedi'i arwain yn lleol. Rwyf wedi dweud drwy gydol yr ymgynghoriad hwn nad oeddwn wedi ymrwymo i unrhyw un map a fy mod yn gwahodd dadleuon a chynigion ar gyfer dewis amgen i'r opsiynau a amlinellwyd gennym ni. Mae'n glir o'r ymatebion i'r Papur Gwyrdd nad oes cytundeb clir ar fap penodol, ond ar yr un pryd, does dim dewis arall wedi cael ei gynnig. Rwyf wedi gwrando'n astud drwy gydol yr ymgynghoriad ac wedi dweud erioed yr hoffwn i weithio gyda llywodraeth leol i gytuno mewn partneriaeth ar ffordd i sicrhau dyfodol cynaliadwy i gymunedau lleol. Fodd bynnag, dydy dim newid ddim yn opsiwn, nac ychwaith dod o hyd i fwy o arian ar adeg o gyni a dryswch parhaus dros Brexit. Hoffwn i weithio gyda llywodraeth leol i gytuno ar weledigaeth a rennir ar gyfer y dyfodol, ac i ddatblygu atebion ar y cyd i'r heriau sy'n eu hwynebu. Wnaiff yr heriau hynny, ynghylch sut i gynnal gwasanaethau cyhoeddus blaengar yng nghyd-destun cyfnod o gyni hirdymor, ddim mynd i ffwrdd. Mae'r ymgynghoriad wedi awgrymu bod awydd ymhlith llywodraeth leol i gydweithio i fwrw ymlaen ag uno gwirfoddol ac i gynyddu a gwella gweithio rhanbarthol. Felly, rwy'n bwriadu cyflwyno'r Bil llywodraeth leol (Cymru) yn gynnar y flwyddyn nesaf i ddeddfu er mwyn galluogi hyn i symud ymlaen cyn gynted â phosibl. Cafodd hyn, Llywydd, ei gadarnhau gan y Prif Weinidog yn gynharach heddiw. Bydd y Bil hefyd yn darparu ar gyfer diwygio etholiadol, newidiadau i drefniadau llywodraethu a pherfformiad llywodraeth leol, a nifer o gynigion eraill, gan gynnwys y pŵer cymhwysedd cyffredinol, a gefnogwyd yn fras yn yr ymgynghoriad. Ond ni allwn anwybyddu'r angen am ddiwygio mwy sylfaenol, na symud oddi wrtho. Felly rwy'n bwriadu sefydlu, mewn partneriaeth â Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, gweithgor annibynnol i lunio ymagwedd a rennir a fydd yn llywio dyfodol llywodraeth leol a chyflenwi gwasanaethau yn y dyfodol. Rwy'n falch iawn o ddweud bod Derek Vaughan wedi cytuno i ymgymryd â swyddogaeth cadeirydd y grŵp hwn, a bydd aelodaeth y grŵp yn dod yn bennaf o lywodraeth leol gyda chefnogaeth ysgrifenyddiaeth ar y cyd o Lywodraeth Cymru a Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru. Byddan nhw'n ystyried yr ystod eang o safbwyntiau a syniadau a fynegwyd yn ystod y cyfnod ymgynghori a'r ddadl. Bydd y grŵp yn gyfrifol am gynnig ffordd ymlaen o ran strwythurau, pwerau ychwanegol, hyblygrwydd a chymorth i newid. Yr allbwn fydd cynllun pellweledol a hirdymor ar gyfer newid, a bydd yn cynnwys cynigion ar gyfer newid strwythurol a ysgogir gan lywodraeth leol a beth fyddai'r ffordd orau o gefnogi'r newidiadau hynny a'r broses hon a'r rhaglen ddiwygio, gan a thrwy Lywodraeth Cymru. Llywydd, byddaf yn parhau i ddiweddaru'r Aelodau am waith y grŵp wrth iddo fwrw ymlaen.