English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank you, Minister, for bringing forward today's statement on a fairer council tax, one that I've been looking forward to and I'm sure many of us have been looking forward to as well? Can I also welcome your balance of comments in terms of recognising some of the positive elements of council tax as it currently stands? I think you said that there are a great deal of positives about the council tax system that we should not lose sight of, that it has stood the test of time since the 1990s and represents local democracy in action, which I'm sure we'd both want to continue seeing take place. I also acknowledge where you've pointed out some improvements in the system that could and should take place as well. In responding to your statement today, Minister, I'd like to also welcome the fact that you're going out to consultation on the future of council tax here in Wales. As we know, council tax impacts every household up and down Wales, and it's vitally important that we encourage as many people as possible to engage with any process of change, including one around council tax. It's even more important when we know many people are facing uncertainty with the future cost of living that we're all looking at at the moment. But, one concern I have with consultations, Minister, which I'm sure you may share from time to time, is that we often don't receive a big enough response, with many parts of our community missed out. So, in light of this, I wonder what assurances you can give that this consultation will ensure people from all walks of life are included and listened to. Secondly, Minister, as we know from your statement today, the council tax proposal will see a complete revaluation of all 1.5 million properties in Wales, with the aim of ensuring valuations are up to date and people are paying the appropriate amount of council tax. Certainly, we'd want to see as up-to-date information as possible. I agree with that. Of course, this revaluation will be the first since 2003 in Wales, which was controversial at the time, because one in three households received a higher bill than they were used to paying. It's vitally important that any change leads to a fair transition for council tax payers and will not force anyone to fall off a financial cliff edge. So, in addition to this, it's crucial that those on fixed incomes, such as pensioners, who may not have significant income in proportion to their house value, are properly considered as well. So, Minister, how will you ensure that any revaluation won't see the same mistakes of 2003, and that hard-working families and those on fixed incomes won't be hit with those higher bills? And finally, Minister, I note from today's statement that you're now using the term 'a fairer council tax', which I'm sure we'll all be positive about, but you were previously talking about council tax reform, perhaps a stronger statement previously. And I wonder if this is because Welsh Government now believe that your proposals are not sufficient enough reform to be calling it true reform. Minister, I can certainly accept that the current system for council tax does need some review. However, I'm not sure that your current proposals are real reform. So, in light of your consultation, I'm wondering whether you foresee any alternatives to a revaluation, and a few extra bands being proposed as well. For example, in the consultation, we could see suggestions such as a proportional property tax, which I know some Members in this Chamber would support, or a local income tax, for example, or even perhaps a council tax linked to the energy efficiency of your home to help incentivise people to make their houses more energy efficient. So, in light of this, what assessment have you made of genuine alternatives that may be raised from the consultation, and if so, would you commit to explore these further so that consultation can be as open as possible? And I'm sure, Minister, you'll know on this side of the benches, we have some great ideas for reform - you may not always agree with those - and I am, of course, happy to work with you in considering these, and look forward to that continued engagement. Thank you very much.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac a gaf i ddiolch i chi, Gweinidog, am gyflwyno datganiad heddiw ynglŷn â threth gyngor decach, un yr wyf i wedi bod yn edrych ymlaen ato ac rwy'n siŵr fod llawer ohonom ni wedi bod yn edrych ymlaen ato hefyd? A gaf i hefyd groesawu cydbwysedd eich sylwadau chi o ran cydnabod rhai o elfennau cadarnhaol y dreth gyngor fel mae hi ar hyn o bryd? Rwy'n credu i chi ddweud y ceir llawer iawn o bethau cadarnhaol yn y system treth gyngor na ddylem ni golli golwg arnyn nhw, a'i bod hi wedi sefyll prawf amser ers y 1990au ac yn cynrychioli democratiaeth leol ar waith, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddai'r ddau ohonom ni'n awyddus i weld hynny'n parhau. Yn ogystal â hynny, rwy'n cydnabod eich pwynt chi wrth dynnu sylw at rai gwelliannau yn y system a allai ac a ddylai ddigwydd hefyd. Wrth ymateb i'ch datganiad chi heddiw, Gweinidog, fe hoffwn i groesawu'r ffaith hefyd eich bod chi'n ymgynghori ar ddyfodol y dreth gyngor yma yng Nghymru. Fel gwyddom ni, mae'r dreth gyngor yn effeithio ar bob aelwyd ar hyd a lled Cymru, ac mae hi'n hanfodol bwysig ein bod ni'n annog cynifer o bobl â phosibl i ymgysylltu ag unrhyw broses o newid, gan gynnwys un sy'n ymwneud â'r dreth gyngor. Ond, un pryder sydd gennyf i o ran ymgynghoriadau, Gweinidog, rwy'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cytuno â mi yn hyn o beth o bryd i'w gilydd, yw nad ydym ni'n aml yn cael ymateb sy'n ddigon cynhwysfawr, gyda llawer o rannau o'n cymuned ni'n dal yn ôl. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, tybed pa sicrwydd y gallwch chi ei roi y bydd yr ymgynghoriad hwn yn sicrhau bod pobl o bob cefndir yn cael eu cynnwys a bydd eu llais yn cael ei glywed. Yn ail, Gweinidog, fel gwyddom ni o'ch datganiad chi heddiw, bydd cynnig y dreth gyngor yn arwain at ailbrisiad llwyr o bob un o'r 1.5 miliwn o dai sydd yng Nghymru, gyda'r nod o sicrhau bod prisiadau yn gyfredol a bod pobl yn talu'r swm priodol o dreth gyngor. Yn sicr, fe fyddem ni'n dymuno gweld yr wybodaeth fwyaf cyfredol bosibl. Rwyf innau'n cytuno â hynny. Wrth gwrs, yr ailbrisio hwn fydd y cyntaf ers 2003 yng Nghymru, ac roedd hwnnw'n ddadleuol ar y pryd, oherwydd fe gafodd un o bob tair aelwyd fil uwch nag yr oedden nhw'n ei dalu o'r blaen. Mae hi'n hanfodol bwysig bod unrhyw newid yn arwain at newid teg i dalwyr y dreth gyngor ac na fydd yn gorfodi unrhyw un i ddioddef colled ariannol ddirfawr. Felly, yn ogystal â hynny, mae hi'n hanfodol bod y rhai sydd ar incwm sefydlog, fel pensiynwyr, nad oes ganddyn nhw incwm sylweddol o bosibl yn gymesur â gwerth eu tai nhw, yn cael eu hystyried mewn ffordd briodol hefyd. Felly, Gweinidog, sut ydych chi am sicrhau na fydd unrhyw ailbrisio yn gweld yr un camgymeriadau ag yn 2003, ac na fydd teuluoedd sy'n gweithio'n galed a'r rhai ar incwm sefydlog yn cael eu taro gyda biliau uwch fel hyn? Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, rwy'n sylwi o ddatganiad heddiw eich bod chi'n defnyddio'r term 'treth gyngor decach' nawr, ac rwy'n siŵr y byddem ni i gyd yn gefnogol i'r syniad hwnnw, ond roeddech chi'n sôn o'r blaen am ddiwygio'r dreth gyngor, roeddech chi'n bwriadu cyflawni mwy yn eich datganiadau blaenorol, efallai. Ac rwy'n meddwl tybed ai'r rheswm am hynny yw bod Llywodraeth Cymru o'r farn erbyn hyn nad yw eich cynigion chi'n golygu digon o newid i alw hynny yn ddiwygio gwirioneddol. Gweinidog, rwy'n sicr yn gallu derbyn bod angen rhywfaint o adolygu ar y system dreth gyngor bresennol. Eto i gyd, nid wyf i'n siŵr a yw eich cynigion presennol chi'n ddiwygiadau gwirioneddol. Felly, yng ngoleuni eich ymgynghoriad chi, tybed a ydych chi'n gweld unrhyw ddewisiadau eraill yn hytrach nag ailbrisio, ac ychydig o fandiau ychwanegol a gynigir hefyd. Er enghraifft, yn yr ymgynghoriad, fe allem ni weld awgrymiadau fel treth eiddo gyfrannol, y gwn i y byddai rhai Aelodau yn y Siambr hon yn ei chefnogi, neu dreth incwm leol, er enghraifft, neu hyd yn oed treth gyngor sy'n gysylltiedig ag effeithlonrwydd ynni eich cartref chi efallai i helpu i gymell pobl i wneud eu tai nhw'n fwy effeithlon o ran ynni. Felly, yng ngoleuni hyn, pa asesiad a wnaethoch chi o ddewisiadau amgen gwirioneddol y gellir eu tynnu nhw o'r ymgynghoriad, ac os felly, a fyddech chi'n ymrwymo i archwilio'r rhain eto fel gall yr ymgynghoriad fod mor benagored â phosibl? Ac rwy'n siŵr, Gweinidog, yr ydych chi'n gwybod ar yr ochr hon i'r meinciau, fod gennym ninnau syniadau rhagorol ar gyfer diwygio - efallai na fyddech chi'n cytuno â nhw bob amser - ac rwyf innau, wrth gwrs, yn hapus i weithio gyda chi i ystyried y rhain, ac yn edrych ymlaen at yr ymgysylltiad parhaus hwnnw. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi.