English: Diolch, Llywydd. Afternoon, Minister. Cumulatively, the financial pressures building up in the local government system, of course, are beyond anything, really, that we've probably ever seen before, even though pressures in the current financial year were offset somewhat by a better than expected settlement for this year. That feels a different world away, doesn't it - only, what, eight months ago when that 9.4 per cent settlement was confirmed. It is becoming clear that additional in-year pressures, amounting to over £0.25 billion, are potentially facing local councils in Wales this year, and there's an expected cumulative shortfall of over £800 million by the end of this three-year spending or funding cycle. Every authority is now reporting budget gaps, and other maybe than the experience of the early months of the COVID pandemic, these are unprecedented pressures that are being faced. So, the risks to all local government services, including, of course, significant statutory services, such as education and social care, can't be underestimated. So, if, as is being suggested, statutory services are facing significant cuts, what discussions have you had or what consideration are you giving to actually advising local authorities about which statutory services they should be prioritising? Because many of those councils are telling me that they need a clear steer from the Welsh Government. In a climate where they just can't deliver what they're expected to deliver, the message I'm getting is that the Welsh Government really needs to make it clear what councils are expected to prioritise when it comes to protecting key services.
Welsh: Diolch, Lywydd. Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Gyda'i gilydd, mae'r pwysau ariannol sy'n cronni yn y system llywodraeth leol y tu hwnt i unrhyw beth a welsom erioed, yn ôl pob tebyg, er bod pwysau yn y flwyddyn ariannol gyfredol wedi'u gwrthbwyso i raddau gan setliad gwell na'r disgwyl ar gyfer eleni. Mae hynny'n teimlo fel byd gwahanol, onid ydyw - wyth mis yn ôl yn unig, pan gadarnhawyd y setliad hwnnw o 9.4 y cant. Mae'n dod yn amlwg fod cynghorau lleol yng Nghymru eleni o bosibl yn wynebu pwysau ychwanegol o dros £0.25 biliwn yn ystod y flwyddyn, a disgwylir diffyg cronnol o dros £800 miliwn erbyn diwedd y cylch gwariant neu gyllido tair blynedd hwn. Mae pob awdurdod bellach yn nodi bylchau yn eu cyllideb, ac ar wahân i brofiad misoedd cynnar y pandemig COVID efallai, mae'r pwysau hyn sy'n cael ei wynebu yn ddigynsail. Felly, ni ellir gorbwysleisio'r risgiau i holl wasanaethau llywodraeth leol, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau statudol pwysig, megis addysg a gofal cymdeithasol. Felly, os yw'r gwasanaethau statudol hynny, fel sy'n cael ei awgrymu, yn wynebu toriadau sylweddol, pa drafodaethau a gawsoch, neu pa ystyriaeth a roddwch i gynghori awdurdodau lleol ynghylch pa wasanaethau statudol y dylent eu blaenoriaethu? Oherwydd mae llawer o'r cynghorau'n dweud wrthyf fod angen arweiniad clir arnynt gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mewn hinsawdd lle na allant gyflawni'r hyn y disgwylir iddynt ei gyflawni, y neges a gaf yw bod gwir angen i Lywodraeth Cymru nodi'n glir beth y mae disgwyl i gynghorau ei flaenoriaethu er mwyn diogelu gwasanaethau allweddol.