techiaith/cofnodycynulliad_en-cy huggingface dataset:
English: Can I thank the Minister for her answer? She will be aware that, over the last two months, I've been raising the issue of the installation of prepayment meters and calling for an immediate ban on their installation. These meters mean the poorest residents in our society pay more for their energy, and, Llywydd, I have spoken to a number of charities who've given me evidence that court orders are being passed hundreds at a time. Now, this means that due diligence isn't being shown, so that the installation of prepayment meters is the suitable option for customers. This isn't happening. What is happening is extremely vulnerable residents in our society are being inappropriately switched. I was pleased, Minister, to see that Ed Miliband this week joined my calls for a ban on the installation of prepayment meters, but the crux of the point is we shouldn't be switching people in the middle of winter and during a cost-of-living crisis. Can I thank you for the support that you're offering to our local government partners, but can I ask you what more the Welsh Government can do to support local government partners when they're advising residents who have already been switched to prepayment meters?
Welsh: A gaf fi ddiolch i'r Gweinidog am ei hateb? Bydd yn ymwybodol fy mod, dros y deufis diwethaf, wedi bod yn codi mater gosod mesuryddion talu ymlaen llaw ac yn galw am waharddiad ar unwaith ar osod y mesuryddion hyn. Golyga'r mesuryddion hyn fod trigolion tlotaf ein cymdeithas yn talu mwy am eu hynni, a Lywydd, rwyf wedi siarad â nifer o elusennau sydd wedi rhoi tystiolaeth i mi fod gorchmynion llys yn cael eu pasio yn eu cannoedd. Nawr, golyga hyn nad oes diwydrwydd dyladwy'n cael ei ddangos, fel mai gosod mesuryddion talu ymlaen llaw yw'r opsiwn priodol i gwsmeriaid. Nid yw hyn yn digwydd. Yr hyn sy'n digwydd yw bod mesuryddion trigolion hynod agored i niwed ein cymdeithas yn cael eu newid yn amhriodol. Weinidog, roeddwn yn falch o weld bod Ed Miliband wedi ymuno â fy ngalwadau yr wythnos hon am waharddiad ar osod mesuryddion talu ymlaen llaw, ond hanfod y pwynt yw na ddylem fod yn newid mesuryddion pobl yng nghanol y gaeaf ac yn ystod argyfwng costau byw. A gaf fi ddiolch i chi am y cymorth rydych yn ei gynnig i'n partneriaid llywodraeth leol, ond a gaf fi ofyn i chi beth arall y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei wneud i gefnogi partneriaid llywodraeth leol pan fyddant yn cynghori trigolion y mae eu mesuryddion eisoes wedi cael eu newid i fesuryddion talu ymlaen llaw?
English: Minister, surely the best way for local government to support their residents is for them to avoid hikes in council taxes. Rising energy costs due to Putin's illegal war and rising food costs as a result of the pandemic and climate change are impacting households hard. The last thing they need are excessive tax hikes. Minister, will you urge restrain among your local authority colleagues, and will you be prepared to cap council tax in the coming financial year?
Welsh: Weinidog, mae'n sicr mai'r ffordd orau i lywodraeth leol gefnogi eu trigolion yw osgoi codiadau yn y dreth gyngor. Mae costau ynni cynyddol oherwydd rhyfel anghyfreithlon Putin a chostau bwyd cynyddol o ganlyniad i'r pandemig a newid hinsawdd yn taro aelwydydd yn galed. Y peth olaf sydd ei angen arnynt yw rhagor o godiadau treth. Weinidog, a wnewch chi annog cymedroldeb ymhlith eich cymheiriaid yn yr awdurdodau lleol, ac a ydych yn barod i roi cap ar y dreth gyngor yn y flwyddyn ariannol sydd i ddod?
English: We know the economic issues we're facing were made in Downing Street - [ Interruption.] - and the incompetence of economic management in London, together with Brexit, has led to one of the biggest cost-of-living crises that many of us have ever seen. Now, this makes the Conservative Party laugh, of course, because when people are hungry, when people are cold, they really don't give a damn what's happening to those people, but, on this side of the Chamber, of course, we do. And what I would like you to do, Minister, is to use your power as a catalyst to bring people together. The two crises facing people in Wales of hunger and of heating are crises, as I said, that are not being resolved by the United Kingdom Government, and what we need to do is to step into this vacuum to bring people together, so that we can share best practice and share resources to address the real crisis facing some of the most vulnerable people in Blaenau Gwent, in Gower and across the whole country.
Welsh: Gwyddom fod y problemau economaidd sy'n ein hwynebu yn deillio o Stryd Downing - [ Torri ar draws.] - a bod y rheoli economaidd di-glem yn Llundain, ynghyd â Brexit, wedi arwain at un o'r argyfyngau costau byw mwyaf a welwyd erioed i lawer ohonom. Nawr, mae hyn yn gwneud i'r Blaid Geidwadol chwerthin, wrth gwrs, oherwydd pan fydd pobl yn llwglyd, pan fydd pobl yn oer, nid ydynt yn malio dim am yr hyn sy'n digwydd i'r bobl hynny, ond ar yr ochr hon i'r Siambr, wrth gwrs, rydym yn malio. A'r hyn yr hoffwn i chi ei wneud, Weinidog, yw defnyddio eich grym fel catalydd i ddod â phobl ynghyd. Mae'r ddau argyfwng sy'n wynebu pobl yng Nghymru, yr argyfwng newyn a'r argyfwng gwresogi, fel y dywedais, yn argyfyngau nad ydynt yn cael eu datrys gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig, a'r hyn sydd angen i ni ei wneud yw camu i'r adwy i ddod â phobl ynghyd, fel y gallwn rannu arferion gorau a rhannu adnoddau i fynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng gwirioneddol sy'n wynebu rhai o'r bobl fwyaf agored i niwed ym Mlaenau Gwent, yng Ngŵyr, ac ar draws y wlad.
English: I would absolutely agree that one of the most important things the Welsh Government can do is to bring together parties with responsibilities for serving our citizens to ensure that our efforts are combined and that we're all focused on those things that matter most to people, and that's one of the reasons why, over the course of the autumn, we did have fortnightly meetings with our colleagues in local government. One of the standing items on those fortnightly meetings was the cost-of-living crisis, alongside another standing item, which was Ukraine. We've moved those meetings now to monthly, because the situation, at the start, did require us to come up with some new interventions, but those new interventions are now in place. But, of course, it's also a standing item now on the partnership council for Wales, which will be next meeting on 2 March, and, of course, that's a much wider public services forum, to ensure that all public and voluntary sector bodies are working in the same direction, all putting their shoulders to the wheel to support our citizens through the cost-of-living crisis. And, then, I'd also mention the cost-of-living Cabinet sub-committee that the First Minister has set up. Now, to every other meeting of that committee we invite partners from outside of the Cabinet. So, we've had the Federation of Small Businesses, for example, and the Confederation of Business Industry joining us, and we've had representatives from the voluntary sector, to ensure that all of our efforts are there together in terms of supporting our residents through the cost-of-living crisis.
Welsh: Byddwn yn cytuno'n llwyr mai un o'r pethau pwysicaf y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu gwneud yw dod â'r rheini sydd â gyfrifoldebau am wasanaethu ein dinasyddion ynghyd i sicrhau bod ein hymdrechion yn cael eu cyfuno a'n bod oll yn canolbwyntio ar y pethau mwyaf pwysig i bobl, a dyna un o'r rhesymau pam y cawsom gyfarfodydd bob pythefnos gyda'n cymheiriaid mewn llywodraeth leol dros yr hydref. Un o'r eitemau sefydlog yn y cyfarfodydd pythefnosol hynny oedd yr argyfwng costau byw, ochr yn ochr ag eitem sefydlog arall, sef Wcráin. Rydym wedi newid y cyfarfodydd hynny bellach i fod yn rhai misol, gan fod y sefyllfa, ar y dechrau, yn golygu bod angen inni lunio ymyriadau newydd, ond mae'r ymyriadau newydd hynny bellach ar waith. Ond wrth gwrs, mae hefyd yn eitem sefydlog bellach i gyngor partneriaeth Cymru, a fydd yn cyfarfod nesaf ar 2 Mawrth, ac wrth gwrs, mae hwnnw'n fforwm gwasanaethau cyhoeddus llawer ehangach, i sicrhau bod holl gyrff y sector cyhoeddus a gwirfoddol yn gweithio i'r un cyfeiriad, fod pob un ohonynt yn cyfrannu at yr ymdrech i gefnogi ein dinasyddion drwy'r argyfwng costau byw. A hoffwn sôn hefyd am is-bwyllgor y Cabinet ar gostau byw, a sefydlwyd gan y Prif Weinidog. Nawr, rydym yn gwahodd partneriaid o'r tu allan i'r Cabinet i bob yn ail o gyfarfodydd y pwyllgor hwnnw. Felly, mae'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach, er enghraifft, a Chydffederasiwn Diwydiant Prydain wedi ymuno â ni, ac rydym wedi cael cynrychiolwyr o'r sector gwirfoddol, i sicrhau bod ein holl ymdrechion yno gyda'i gilydd i gefnogi ein trigolion drwy'r argyfwng costau byw.
English: Questions now from party spokespeople. The Conservative Party spokesperson, Sam Rowlands.
Welsh: Cwestiynau nawr gan lefarwyr y pleidiau. Llefarydd y Ceidwadwyr, Sam Rowlands.
English: Diolch, Llywydd. Before I go into my question, I'm sure, Llywydd, you'd like to join me in welcoming members of the Canadian Parliament who've joined us today through the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and have the pleasure of observing our proceedings this afternoon. I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as we do. Good afternoon, Minister. You touched, in response to one of your questions earlier, on the provisional local government settlement, and, indeed, the 7.9 per cent increase to local authorities has been broadly welcomed by those authorities, but there are concerns a number of leaders have expressed. The Labour leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, Andrew Morgan, who, I'm sure, you know well, has said there are some tough decisions ahead for councils. The Plaid Cymru leader of Isle of Anglesey County Council, Llinos Medi, says hard cuts to local services are ahead, as a result of this settlement. Lib Dem-run Powys County Council are looking to close rural schools, and Labour-run Monmouthshire County Council consulted on cuts to leisure centre hours as well. All of this whilst our council tax payers are likely to face a further hike in their taxes. So, in light of this, Minister, like the comments from those council leaders, and as a result of your funding decisions, what further difficult decisions do you think our local councils will have to make? And what services do you think our residents will have to face being cut?
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd. Cyn imi ofyn fy nghwestiwn, rwy'n siŵr, Lywydd, yr hoffech ymuno â mi i groesawu aelodau o Senedd Canada, sydd wedi ymuno â ni heddiw drwy Gymdeithas Seneddol y Gymanwlad, ac sy'n cael y pleser o arsylwi ar ein trafodion y prynhawn yma. Rwy'n siŵr y byddant yn mwynhau'r profiad cymaint â ni. Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Fe wnaethoch grybwyll, mewn ymateb i un o'ch cwestiynau yn gynharach, y setliad dros dro i lywodraeth leol, ac yn wir, mae'r cynnydd o 7.9 y cant i awdurdodau lleol wedi'i groesawu'n gyffredinol gan yr awdurdodau hynny, ond mae nifer o arweinwyr wedi mynegi pryderon. Mae arweinydd Llafur Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, Andrew Morgan, yr ydych yn ei adnabod yn dda, rwy'n siŵr, wedi dweud bod gan gynghorau benderfyniadau anodd o'u blaenau. Dywed arweinydd Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn, Llinos Medi o Blaid Cymru, y bydd angen gwneud toriadau anodd i wasanaethau lleol o ganlyniad i'r setliad hwn. Mae Cyngor Sir Powys, sy'n cael ei redeg gan y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yn edrych ar gau ysgolion gwledig, ac ymgynghorodd Cyngor Sir Fynwy, sy'n cael ei redeg gan Lafur, ar doriadau i oriau canolfannau hamdden hefyd. Hyn oll tra bo'n trethdalwyr yn debygol o wynebu cynnydd pellach yn eu trethi. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, Weinidog, fel y sylwadau gan arweinwyr y cynghorau hynny, ac o ganlyniad i'ch penderfyniadau cyllido, pa benderfyniadau anodd pellach y credwch y bydd yn rhaid i'n cynghorau lleol eu gwneud? A pha wasanaethau y credwch y bydd yn rhaid i'n trigolion wynebu eu gweld yn cael eu torri?
English: I think it is important to recognise that, overall, our settlement for local government, at a 7.9 per cent increase on this financial year, has been broadly welcomed across local government. I do think that we have provided the absolute best possible settlement that we could have. We gave to local government in excess of the funding that we received in consequential funding from measures that the UK Government had outlined in its autumn statement in the fields of social care and education. We were able to do that by undertaking a very painful exercise ourselves across Government in terms of identifying areas where we could reprioritise funding towards local government and towards our health service. You'll see all of those details, of course, in the draft budget that was laid. So, I don't underestimate that local government will have to make a series of difficult decisions locally. Those decisions now should be locally led; I know that they'll be consulting with their residents as to what their residents' priorities are. But, under the circumstances, we have provided the best possible settlement. It is, of course, for the Welsh Conservatives to provide their alternative budget, which I know we were promised last year, but have yet to see materialise.
Welsh: Credaf ei bod yn bwysig cydnabod bod ein setliad cyffredinol i lywodraeth leol, gyda'r cynnydd o 7.9 y cant ar y flwyddyn ariannol hon, wedi'i groesawu'n gyffredinol gan lywodraeth leol. Credaf ein bod wedi darparu'r setliad gorau posibl y gallem fod wedi'i ddarparu. Rhoesom fwy o gyllid i lywodraeth leol na'r cyllid a gawsom mewn cyllid canlyniadol o fesurau a amlinellwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU yn natganiad yr hydref ym meysydd gofal cymdeithasol ac addysg. Bu modd inni wneud hynny drwy gynnal ymarfer poenus iawn ein hunain ar draws y Llywodraeth yn nodi meysydd lle gallem ailflaenoriaethu cyllid tuag at lywodraeth leol a thuag at ein gwasanaeth iechyd. Fe welwch yr holl fanylion hynny, wrth gwrs, yn y gyllideb ddrafft a osodwyd. Felly, nid wyf yn diystyru'r ffaith y bydd yn rhaid i lywodraeth leol wneud cyfres o benderfyniadau anodd yn lleol. Dylai'r penderfyniadau hynny nawr gael eu harwain yn lleol; gwn y byddant yn ymgynghori â'u trigolion ynghylch beth yw blaenoriaethau eu trigolion. Ond o dan yr amgylchiadau, rydym wedi darparu'r setliad gorau posibl. Mater i'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, wrth gwrs, yw darparu eu cyllideb amgen, y gwn iddi gael ei haddo i ni y llynedd, ond nid ydym wedi'i gweld eto.
English: Thank you, Minister, for your response then. A key issue in regard to that funding for those local authorities is the way in which that funding is dished out. As you'll know, a significant part of funding for those councils comes in the form of grants. I believe around £1.4 billion of the funding that those councils receive comes in grants. Of course, the money itself is welcome, but perhaps the direction from Welsh Government as to where and when those grants should be spent can be both restrictive and cause an administrative burden, which holds back the work of our councils. So, in light of this, Minister, how are you working with those councils to ensure there can be further flexibility on grant allocation? How are you working to see that grants go into an unhypothecated section of their funding so they can spend that money on what is best for them and best for their local residents?
Welsh: Diolch am eich ymateb, Weinidog. Mater allweddol mewn perthynas â'r cyllid i awdurdodau lleol yw'r ffordd y caiff y cyllid hwnnw ei ddosbarthu. Fel y gwyddoch, daw rhan sylweddol o gyllid y cynghorau hynny ar ffurf grantiau. Credaf fod oddeutu £1.4 biliwn o'r cyllid y bydd y cynghorau hynny'n ei gael yn dod mewn grantiau. Wrth gwrs, mae'r arian ei hun i'w groesawu, ond efallai y gall y cyfarwyddyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch ble a phryd y dylid gwario'r grantiau hynny fod yn gyfyngol ac achosi baich gweinyddol sy'n llesteirio gwaith ein cynghorau. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, Weinidog, sut rydych yn gweithio gyda'r cynghorau hynny i sicrhau y gellir cael rhagor o hyblygrwydd ar ddyrannu grantiau? Sut rydych yn gweithio i sicrhau bod grantiau'n mynd i adran heb ei neilltuo o'u cyllid fel y gallant wario'r arian hwnnw ar yr hyn sydd orau iddynt hwy a'r hyn sydd orau i'w trigolion lleol?
English: I think this is an area probably where we have more common ground, because this is a piece of work that we have been undertaking with local authorities over the past few months, at their request, to explore which areas of grant funding could potentially be moved into the revenue support grant on a short-term or permanent basis. So, that piece of work is ongoing at the moment, but we've absolutely committed to looking at that. Timescales, of course, will be important for that piece of work. But, I just want to reassure you and other colleagues who have an interest in this that our Welsh Government officials are working with officers in the WLGA and talking to treasurers across Wales to explore what might be possible.
Welsh: Credaf fod hwn yn faes lle mae'n debyg fod gennym fwy o dir cyffredin, gan fod hwn yn waith y buom yn ei wneud gydag awdurdodau lleol dros yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf, ar eu cais hwy, i archwilio pa feysydd cyllid grant y gellid eu symud, o bosibl, i mewn i'r grant cynnal refeniw ar sail tymor byr neu barhaol. Felly, mae'r gwaith hwnnw'n mynd rhagddo ar hyn o bryd, ond rydym wedi llwyr ymrwymo i edrych ar hynny. Bydd amserlenni, wrth gwrs, yn bwysig ar gyfer y gwaith hwnnw. Ond hoffwn roi sicrwydd i chi a chyd-Aelodau eraill sydd â diddordeb yn hyn fod swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda swyddogion CLlLC ac yn siarad â thrysoryddion ledled Cymru i archwilio'r hyn a allai fod yn bosibl.
English: Thank you, Minister. If I may, I just want to focus my last question on virtual council meetings. It's an issue that I've raised a number of times here in the Chamber and an issue that I raised with you last week as well. Also, we saw yesterday another media story showing a shambolic situation where it looks as though an alleged sex act took place over a Zoom meeting during a meeting of Flintshire council's cabinet - completely inappropriate, but again highlights some of the issues that we see in meetings of local government taking place virtually. Whilst virtual meetings, of course, do have positives, I raised with you last week my concerns about how these are being managed. I raised with you the concerns about a councillor allegedly driving whilst voting, we've seen evidence of proceedings being edited before they're published online, and now the latest news reports of this awful act that took place up in Flintishire council. It shows how virtual meetings can be abused in a way that can't happen in face to face, in-person meetings. So, last week, when we met, Minister, you said that you'd be looking to issue further guidance to councils. I wonder whether you would look to accelerate the issuing of that guidance and have those discussions with councils to ensure they're offering hybrid meetings and not just virtual meetings, because face-to-face meetings are so important for our residents and in the working of councils.
Welsh: Diolch, Weinidog. Os caf, hoffwn ganolbwyntio fy nghwestiwn olaf ar gyfarfodydd cyngor rhithwir. Mae'n fater rwyf wedi'i godi sawl gwaith yma yn y Siambr, ac mae'n fater a godais gyda chi yr wythnos diwethaf yn ogystal. Hefyd, gwelsom stori arall yn y cyfryngau ddoe yn dangos llanast o sefyllfa lle mae'n edrych fel pe bai gweithred rywiol honedig wedi digwydd dros gyfarfod Zoom yn ystod un o gyfarfodydd cabinet cyngor sir y Fflint - cwbl amhriodol, ond mae'n tynnu sylw unwaith eto at rai o'r problemau a welwn mewn cyfarfodydd llywodraeth leol rhithwir. Er bod gan gyfarfodydd rhithwir eu rhinweddau, wrth gwrs, mynegais fy mhryderon wrthych yr wythnos diwethaf ynglŷn â sut y cânt eu rheoli. Mynegais bryderon ynglŷn â chynghorydd yr honnir ei fod yn gyrru wrth bleidleisio, rydym wedi gweld tystiolaeth o drafodion yn cael eu golygu cyn iddynt gael eu cyhoeddi ar-lein, a nawr yr adroddiadau diweddaraf yn y newyddion am y weithred ofnadwy hon a ddigwyddodd yng nghyngor sir y Fflint. Mae'n dangos sut y gellir camddefnyddio cyfarfodydd rhithwir mewn ffordd na all ddigwydd mewn cyfarfodydd wyneb yn wyneb. Felly, yr wythnos diwethaf, pan wnaethom gyfarfod, Weinidog, fe ddywedoch chi y byddech yn ceisio cyhoeddi canllawiau pellach i gynghorau. Tybed a wnewch chi ystyried cyflymu'r broses o gyhoeddi'r canllawiau hynny a chael trafodaethau gyda chynghorau i sicrhau eu bod yn cynnig cyfarfodydd hybrid ac nid cyfarfodydd rhithwir yn unig, gan fod cyfarfodydd wyneb yn wyneb mor bwysig i'n trigolion ac i waith cynghorau.
English: Thank you for raising that point this afternoon. I'd begin by recognising that hybrid working and virtual working can be a really important way in which to increase diversity in democracy, as we were discussing last week, in terms of making those meetings more accessible to people in full-time work, people with family commitments, caring commitments, people who are self-employed, and for others. But, absolutely, we would expect that the same behaviour is expected of people attending those meetings as you would expect in a council chamber. So, I will explore with the local government chief digital officer what more we can be doing in this space to ensure that everybody is clear about what's expected of them in those meetings, and perhaps we can have a further conversation about some more of your ideas in this space outside the Chamber.
Welsh: Diolch am godi'r pwynt hwnnw y prynhawn yma. Rwyf am ddechrau drwy gydnabod y gall gweithio hybrid a gweithio rhithwir fod yn ffordd wirioneddol bwysig o gynyddu amrywiaeth mewn democratiaeth, fel y buom yn ei drafod yr wythnos diwethaf, o ran gwneud y cyfarfodydd hynny'n fwy hygyrch i bobl mewn gwaith llawn amser, pobl a chanddynt ymrwymiadau teuluol, ymrwymiadau gofalu, pobl sy'n hunangyflogedig, ac eraill. Ond yn sicr, byddem yn disgwyl yr un ymddygiad gan bobl sy'n mynychu'r cyfarfodydd hynny ag y byddech yn ei ddisgwyl mewn siambr cyngor. Felly, byddaf yn archwilio gyda'r prif swyddog digidol ar gyfer llywodraeth leol beth arall y gallwn ei wneud yn hyn o beth i sicrhau bod pawb yn deall yr hyn a ddisgwylir ganddynt yn y cyfarfodydd hynny, ac efallai y gallem gael sgwrs bellach ynglŷn â mwy o'ch syniadau yn y maes hwn y tu allan i'r Siambr.
English: Before I call the spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, can I reiterate the welcome to the parliamentarians from Canada to our Senedd, our Parliament, today? And I hope you have a fruitful visit to Wales and to our Parliament, and thank you for bringing just a tiny little bit of your winter weather to us as well.
Welsh: Cyn imi alw ar lefarydd Plaid Cymru, a gaf fi ailadrodd y croeso i'r seneddwyr o Ganada i'n Senedd heddiw? Ac rwy'n gobeithio y cewch ymweliad cynhyrchiol â Chymru a'n Senedd, a diolch am ddod ag ychydig bach o'ch tywydd gaeafol i ni hefyd.