English: Thank you, Minister, for bringing forward today's statement on the draft budget. Just a brief reminder at this point that I'm still a member of Conwy County Borough Council, as my register of interest shows. Like many Members, just before Christmas, while I was doing my best to ensure Father Christmas was able to arrive safe and well, I too was eagerly awaiting for the draft budget to be released and to see what would be spent where, and the effects that this would have. As my colleague Peter Fox excellently outlined in his contribution, whilst acknowledging the pressures caused by the pandemic, despite Mr Davies's concerns that some of us Conservatives aren't perhaps conservative enough, this budget must be invested wisely to deliver on the priorities of working people, with a laser-like focus on creating better paid jobs and delivering vital public services. As a Minister, you've outlined yourself something that I've continuously raised with you during this pandemic, which is that councils have gone above and beyond in providing vital services to local people. Indeed, this sentiment has been repeated by Members across parties today, including Mr Hedges and Mr Gruffydd as well in their contributions. So, it will come as no surprise today that I will focus my brief contribution on local government, and specifically the local government settlement. I know that many councils up and down Wales, including the Welsh Local Government Association, have welcomed the local government settlement within this budget - an increase of 9.4 per cent on a like-for-like basis compared to the current year. Of course, as an ex-council leader, I too would have liked to have seen this during my time leading a council. It is fair, though, also to say that this local government settlement has come after years and years of underfunding to councils, especially those further north and perhaps rural councils, which have had significant cuts over that time. Because of this, and despite the increase in funding, it looks like many councils will still have to raise council tax this year to cover their pressures. But more funding to councils this year could have alleviated this issue. It's now likely that increased pressure will be put on local residents through higher taxation, even though they have been hit hard during this COVID-19 pandemic. With this context in mind, I would like to raise just three really brief points, Deputy Presiding Officer. First, linked to these pressures, it's worth highlighting the financial demands that councils are likely to face over the next three years. This has been estimated at over £1 billion of increased pressures. And, Minister, as your statement noted, the funding to cover this over the next three years has only been committed to three quarters of this, at £750 million. In fact, future years show significant shortfalls in funding likely to be made to councils. It would be a welcome move if, Minister, you could consider proper funding of these next three years of pressures to enable councils to deliver the services that our residents need. Secondly, Minister, as you will be well aware, councils and council leaders work best when there is financial certainty and they can plan for the future. However, despite you receiving your future settlement for the next three years from the UK Government, there is still no specific breakdown of funding to individual councils beyond 2023. And the Welsh Local Government Association have been clear that a breakdown of funding beyond this time would be really beneficial. So, in light of this, I am disappointed that this hasn't been provided, and I hope that it's something that you're able to look into sooner rather than later. Finally, a massive issue facing many councils up and down Wales is supporting an ageing population through social care. I have concerns that the current financial formula for local government does not properly reflect this shift in our population and the pressures that our hard-working services face. An example of this, just briefly, is that the current funding formula provides councils with over £1,500 for everybody over the age of 85, but for those aged 60 to 84, it provides just £10.72 - a huge discrepancy in the formula, which makes it very difficult for councils supporting an ageing population. So, I would welcome a continued review of that formula with the Welsh Local Government Association, to make sure that it is still appropriate. So, to conclude, there are, of course, positives from the local government settlement, which are welcomed. Nevertheless, as I've outlined, there are numerous issues that need to be addressed. I look forward to scrutinising the Minister over the settlement in the coming weeks on our Local Government and Housing Committee and putting forward our response from my side of the benches to this really important piece of work. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Welsh: Diolch, Gweinidog, am gyflwyno'r datganiad heddiw ar y gyllideb ddrafft. Dyma bwynt byr i'ch atgoffa yma fy mod i'n dal i fod yn aelod o Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, fel y mae fy nghofrestr o fuddiannau yn ei dangos. Fel llawer o Aelodau, ychydig cyn y Nadolig, wrth i mi wneud fy ngorau i sicrhau bod Siôn Corn yn gallu cyrraedd yn ddiogel ac yn iach, roeddwn i hefyd yn disgwyl yn eiddgar i'r gyllideb ddrafft gael ei rhyddhau ac i weld beth fyddai'n cael ei wario ac ymhle, a'r effeithiau y byddai hyn yn ei gael. Fel yr amlinellodd fy nghyd-Aelod Peter Fox yn rhagorol yn ei gyfraniad, gan gydnabod y pwysau y mae'r pandemig wedi'u hachosi, er gwaethaf pryderon Mr Davies nad yw rhai ohonom ni Geidwadwyr yn ddigon ceidwadol efallai, mae'n rhaid buddsoddi'r gyllideb hon yn ddoeth i gyflawni blaenoriaethau pobl sy'n gweithio, gan ganolbwyntio ar greu swyddi sy'n talu'n well a darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol. A chithau'n Weinidog, rydych chi wedi amlinellu eich hun rhywbeth yr wyf i wedi'i godi gyda chi'n barhaus yn ystod y pandemig hwn, sef bod cynghorau wedi mynd y tu hwnt i ddarparu gwasanaethau hanfodol i bobl leol. Yn wir, mae'r farn hon wedi cael ei hailadrodd gan Aelodau ar draws y pleidiau heddiw, gan gynnwys Mr Hedges a Mr Gruffydd hefyd yn eu cyfraniadau. Felly, ni fydd yn syndod heddiw y byddaf i'n canolbwyntio fy nghyfraniad byr ar lywodraeth leol, ac yn benodol y setliad llywodraeth leol. Rwy'n gwybod bod llawer o gynghorau ar hyd a lled Cymru, gan gynnwys Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, wedi croesawu'r setliad llywodraeth leol o fewn y gyllideb hon - cynnydd o 9.4 y cant ar sail gyfatebol o'i gymharu â'r flwyddyn bresennol. Wrth gwrs, fel cyn-arweinydd cyngor, byddwn i hefyd wedi hoffi gweld hyn yn ystod fy nghyfnod yn arwain cyngor. Fodd bynnag, mae'n deg dweud hefyd fod y setliad llywodraeth leol hwn wedi dod ar ôl blynyddoedd a blynyddoedd o danariannu i gynghorau, yn enwedig y rhai ymhellach i'r gogledd ac efallai cynghorau gwledig eraill, sydd wedi cael toriadau sylweddol yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw. Oherwydd hyn, ac er gwaethaf y cynnydd mewn cyllid, mae'n edrych fel y bydd yn rhaid i lawer o gynghorau godi'r dreth gyngor eleni i gynnal y pwysau. Ond gallai mwy o arian i gynghorau eleni fod wedi lleddfu'r mater hwn. Mae'n debygol nawr y bydd mwy o bwysau'n cael ei roi ar drigolion lleol drwy drethiant uwch, er eu bod wedi cael eu taro'n galed yn ystod y pandemig COVID-19 hwn. Gyda'r cyd-destun hwn mewn golwg, hoffwn i godi tri phwynt byr iawn yn unig, Dirprwy Lywydd. Yn gyntaf, yn gysylltiedig â'r pwysau hyn, mae'n werth tynnu sylw at y gofynion ariannol y mae cynghorau'n debygol o'u hwynebu yn ystod y tair blynedd nesaf. Yr amcangyfrif yw bod hyn yn fwy na £1 biliwn o bwysau ychwanegol. A, Gweinidog, fel y nododd eich datganiad chi, dim ond tri chwarter o'r cyllid i ymdrin â hyn sydd wedi'i ymrwymo ar gyfer y tair blynedd nesaf sef, £750 miliwn. Yn wir, mae blynyddoedd i ddod yn dangos diffygion sylweddol mewn cyllid sy'n debygol o gael ei roi i gynghorau. Byddai'n gam i'w groesawu pe gallech chi, Gweinidog, ystyried ariannu'r tair blynedd nesaf hyn o bwysau i alluogi cynghorau i ddarparu'r gwasanaethau y mae eu hangen ar ein trigolion. Yn ail, Gweinidog, fel y gwyddoch chi'n iawn, mae cynghorau ac arweinwyr cynghorau yn gweithio orau pan fydd sicrwydd ariannol a gallan nhw gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol. Fodd bynnag, er i chi gael eich setliad ar gyfer y dyfodol am y tair blynedd nesaf gan Lywodraeth y DU, nid oes dadansoddiad penodol o gyllid i gynghorau unigol y tu hwnt i 2023. Ac mae Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru wedi bod yn glir y byddai dadansoddiad o'r cyllid y tu hwnt i'r amser hwn yn fanteisiol iawn. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, yr wyf i'n siomedig nad yw hyn wedi'i ddarparu, a gobeithio ei fod yn rhywbeth y gallwch chi ymchwilio iddo cyn gynted â phosibl. Yn olaf, mater enfawr sy'n wynebu llawer o gynghorau ar hyd a lled Cymru yw cefnogi poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio drwy ofal cymdeithasol. Mae gennyf i bryderon nad yw'r fformiwla ariannol bresennol ar gyfer llywodraeth leol yn adlewyrchu'r newid hwn yn ein poblogaeth yn briodol a'r pwysau y mae ein gwasanaethau sy'n gweithio'n galed yn eu hwynebu. Un enghraifft o hyn, yn fyr, yw bod y fformiwla ariannu bresennol yn rhoi dros £1,500 i gynghorau ar gyfer pawb dros 85 oed, ond i'r rhai rhwng 60 ac 84 oed, dim ond £10.72 y mae'n ei ddarparu - anghysondeb enfawr yn y fformiwla, sy'n ei gwneud yn anodd iawn i gynghorau gefnogi poblogaeth sy'n heneiddio. Felly, byddwn i'n croesawu adolygu'r fformiwla honno'n barhaus gyda Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, er mwyn sicrhau ei bod yn dal yn briodol. Felly, i gloi, mae pethau cadarnhaol, wrth gwrs, yn y setliad llywodraeth leol, sydd i'w croesawu. Serch hynny, fel yr wyf wedi'i amlinellu, mae nifer o faterion y mae angen mynd i'r afael â nhw. Edrychaf i ymlaen at graffu ar y Gweinidog o ran y setliad yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf ar ein Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai a chyflwyno ein hymateb o fy ochr i o'r meinciau i'r darn pwysig iawn hwn o waith. Diolch yn fawr iawn.