English: Thanks for the contribution, Mike Hedges. I think what you point to there is obviously a desire to tax some areas much more significantly than others. Of course, what we need to see is a fair settlement to benefit residents across all of Wales. That disparity for me is an opportunity that hasn't been dealt with. I'm also disappointed to see there's still no or very little talk from Welsh Government regarding an independent review into the current funding distribution method for councils. It's still clear now that the current system disadvantages many rural councils, which I think is another point that Peter Fox pointed to, and it's not up to date on a number of metrics. I'm sure the Minister will also share my concern that, despite hefty increases in the local government settlement, the majority of councils will still be putting up the council tax, and it's them who are standing up in those council chambers taking the criticism for that from their electorate, when, actually, they're having to deal with very challenging budgets themselves. Another concern received from council leaders during the Local Government and Housing Committee evidence session regarding the budget has been a decline in the capital funding as well. The draft budget allocates around £150 million in capital funding to councils, around £50 million lower than in previous years. This is causing a significant concern - I think the Chairman of the committee highlighted this - in terms of seeking other ways in which that capital funding can be distributed to allow councils to deliver the things that Government is keen to see happen in Wales. Another missed opportunity that I think is in the Welsh Government's budget is in regard to social care, and that's already been mentioned in this debate today. The Welsh Local Government Association stated that, whilst welcoming the £500 additional payments during the pandemic, they simply do not go far enough to addressing the long-term challenges of the sector, and in particular the concerns with recruitment and retaining staff in that area. This budget doesn't seem to address this issue. As a party of localism here - and I've mentioned it a number of times in terms of that support and decision making taking place as close to the ground as possible, Minister - you'll already be well aware of my concerns at the introduction of the corporate joint committees, and, in a budget context, the detrimental impact that this may have on the impact of finances of councils. I acknowledge that there has been money made available to councils for the implementation in the first year, but I am concerned at the lack of funding for future years. I would plead that whatever decisions are made in this regard, they're not to the detriment of existing demands and budgets within local government. I'll wrap up now, Llywydd, because I know you'll be keen for me to do that. When it comes to local government, parts of the Welsh Government budget are going to support councils to make that improvement, but in my view there are too many opportunities that are being missed that could have allowed councils to thrive even further and be even more sustainable. But I'd like to thank the Minister for her continued engagement with members of the committee, which the Chairman John Griffiths chairs, and I'm looking forward to continuing to scrutinise and offer alternatives to our side of the budget. Thanks.
Welsh: Diolch am y cyfraniad, Mike Hedges. Rwy'n credu bod yr hyn yr ydych chi'n cyfeirio ato yn amlwg yn awydd i drethu rhai ardaloedd yn llawer mwy sylweddol nag eraill. Wrth gwrs, yr hyn y mae angen i ni ei weld yw setliad teg er budd trigolion ledled Cymru. Mae'r gwahaniaeth hwnnw i mi yn gyfle nad ymdriniwyd ag ef. Rwyf i hefyd yn siomedig o weld nad oes unrhyw sôn o hyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch adolygiad annibynnol o'r dull presennol o ddosbarthu cyllid ar gyfer cynghorau. Mae'n dal yn glir nawr bod y system bresennol yn rhoi llawer o gynghorau gwledig dan anfantais, sydd, yn fy marn i, yn bwynt arall y cyfeiriodd Peter Fox ato, ac nid yw'n gyfredol ar nifer o fetrigau. Rwy'n siŵr y bydd y Gweinidog hefyd yn rhannu fy mhryder, er gwaethaf cynnydd swmpus yn y setliad llywodraeth leol, y bydd y rhan fwyaf o gynghorau'n dal i gynyddu'r dreth gyngor, a nhw sy'n sefyll yn y siambrau cyngor hynny ac yn cymryd y feirniadaeth am hynny gan eu hetholwyr, pan fyddan nhw, mewn gwirionedd, yn gorfod ymdrin â chyllidebau heriol iawn eu hunain. Pryder arall a ddaeth gan arweinwyr cynghorau yn ystod sesiwn dystiolaeth y Pwyllgor Llywodraeth Leol a Thai ynghylch y gyllideb fu gostyngiad yn y cyllid cyfalaf hefyd. Mae'r gyllideb ddrafft yn dyrannu tua £150 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf i gynghorau, tua £50 miliwn yn is nag mewn blynyddoedd blaenorol. Mae hyn yn peri pryder sylweddol - rwy'n credu bod Cadeirydd y pwyllgor wedi tynnu sylw at hyn - o ran ceisio ffyrdd eraill y byddai modd dosbarthu'r cyllid cyfalaf hwnnw i ganiatáu i gynghorau gyflawni'r pethau y mae'r Llywodraeth yn awyddus i'w gweld yn digwydd yng Nghymru. Cyfle arall sydd wedi'i golli, yn fy marn i, yw yng nghyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru sy'n ymwneud â gofal cymdeithasol, ac mae hynny eisoes wedi'i grybwyll yn y ddadl hon heddiw. Dywedodd Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, er eu bod yn croesawu'r £500 o daliadau ychwanegol yn ystod y pandemig, nad ydyn nhw'n mynd yn ddigon pell i fynd i'r afael â heriau hirdymor y sector, ac yn arbennig y pryderon ynghylch recriwtio a chadw staff yn yr ardal honno. Nid yw'n ymddangos bod y gyllideb hon yn ymdrin â'r mater hwn. Fel plaid leoliaeth yma - ac yr wyf i wedi sôn amdani nifer o weithiau o ran y gefnogaeth honno a'r penderfyniadau sy'n digwydd mor agos at lawr gwlad â phosibl, Gweinidog - byddwch chi eisoes yn ymwybodol iawn o fy mhryderon i ynghylch cyflwyno'r cyd-bwyllgorau corfforaethol, ac, yng nghyd-destun y gyllideb, yr effaith niweidiol y gallai hyn ei chael ar effaith cyllid cynghorau. Rwy'n cydnabod bod arian wedi'i ddarparu i gynghorau i'w weithredu yn y flwyddyn gyntaf, ond rwy'n pryderu ynghylch y diffyg cyllid ar gyfer y blynyddoedd i ddod. Byddwn i'n erfyn, pa benderfyniadau bynnag sy'n cael eu gwneud yn hyn o beth, nad ydyn nhw ar draul y gofynion a'r cyllidebau presennol o fewn llywodraeth leol. Dof i ben, Llywydd, oherwydd rwy'n gwybod y byddwch chi'n awyddus i mi wneud hynny. O ran llywodraeth leol, mae rhannau o gyllideb Llywodraeth Cymru yn mynd i gefnogi cynghorau i wneud y gwelliant hwnnw, ond yn fy marn i mae gormod o gyfleoedd yn cael eu colli a allent fod wedi caniatáu i gynghorau ffynnu hyd yn oed ymhellach a bod hyd yn oed yn fwy cynaliadwy. Ond hoffwn i ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ymgysylltu'n barhaus ag aelodau'r pwyllgor, y mae'r Cadeirydd John Griffiths yn ei gadeirio, ac rwy'n edrych ymlaen at barhau i graffu a chynnig dewisiadau eraill i'n hochr ni o'r gyllideb. Diolch.