English: I am quoting from official statistics. Although, perhaps, there are periods of time in Abergavenny - at the time of the food festival it does appear to be very busy there, but, when you take the whole year into account, facts and statistics demonstrate a different picture, unfortunately. I'm sorry to be negative, but that is the situation, but our motion offers a way of improving that. Evidence shows that destinations outwith towns that offer free car parking gain at the expense of town centres and a number of councils throughout Wales do offer free parking - for periods over Christmas, for example - in an effort to attract people to spend in our town centres. But we know about the financial pressures on councils at the moment, and so what our motion calls for is the establishment of a new fund to enable local authorities and community groups to offer free car parking in towns throughout Wales. Such a fund would enable local authorities to bid for a grant to compensate them, in a way, for any lost parking fees, and to offer free car parking for a few hours in order to support towns that are truly in need of that. We would need specific criteria for this fund in order to ensure that the towns needing that assistance actually receive it. Of course, this would be part of a broader strategy. The free parking offered has to be part of a strategy offering things such as business rates, which are a vital part of any regeneration scheme. Considering the business rates, I was extremely disappointed to see the Government stepping back from the pledge to improve the rating system for small businesses in Wales. Extending the current system doesn't equate to a further discount in those business rates. Our policy is to increase rate relief so that over 7,000 small and medium-sized businesses would be released from paying any rates at all, and 20,000 other businesses would also receive some relief. Also, as part of a regeneration strategy, business improvement areas can be very successful - business improvement areas being led by the local business community and then they invest in turn in developments and plans based on local priorities. The Bangor BID and Hwb Caernarfon, for example, are business improvement areas and they've seen businesses paying a levy of 1.5 per cent of the rateable value, and that funding then has been used to invest in and improve the area.
Welsh: Rydw i'n dyfynnu o ystadegau swyddogol, ac er, efallai, bod yna adegau - y Fenni, er enghraifft, adeg yr ŵyl fwyd, mae'n edrych yn brysur iawn yna, ond pan fyddwch chi'n edrych dros y flwyddyn gyfan, mae'r ffeithiau yn dangos yn wahanol, yn anffodus. Mae'n ddrwg gen i fod yn negyddol, ond dyna ydy'r sefyllfa, ond mae'n cynnig ni yn cynnig ffordd ymlaen a ffordd i wella hynny. Mae tystiolaeth sy'n dangos bod cyrchfannau y tu allan i ganol trefi sy'n cynnig parcio am ddim ar eu hennill ar draul canol trefi. Mae llawer o gynghorau ar hyd Cymru yn cynnig parcio am ddim - am gyfnod dros y Nadolig, er enghraifft - mewn ymdrech i ddenu pobl i wario yng nghanol ein trefi ni, ond rydym ni'n gwybod am y cyni ariannol sy'n wynebu cynghorau ar hyn o bryd. Felly, beth mae'n cynnig ni'n ei alw amdano fo ydy sefydlu cronfa newydd fydd yn galluogi awdurdodau lleol a grwpiau cymunedol i gynnig parcio am ddim mewn trefi ledled Cymru. Cronfa fuasai hon buasai'n galluogi awdurdodau lleol i wneud cais am grant i'w digolledu nhw, mewn ffordd, am unrhyw ffioedd parcio na fyddan nhw yn eu casglu, ac i gynnig parcio am ddim am ychydig oriau ar gyfer cefnogi trefi sydd wir ei angen. Mi fuasai angen meini prawf penodol ar y gronfa yma er mwyn sicrhau bod y trefi sydd angen yr help yn cael yr help yna. Ond, wrth gwrs, rhan o strategaeth ehangach fyddai'r cynnig parcio am ddim mewn rhai llefydd. Mae angen iddo fo fod yn rhan o strategaeth sy'n cynnig pethau fel ardrethi busnes. Rhan allweddol o unrhyw strategaeth adfywio ydy edrych ar ardrethi busnes. Rôn i'n hynod o siomedig i weld yn ddiweddar y Llywodraeth yn camu'n ôl o'i haddewid i wella'r system bresennol ar gyfer busnesau bach yng Nghymru. I fod yn glir, nid yw ymestyn y system bresennol ddim yn cyfateb i doriad pellach mewn ardrethi busnes. Ein polisi ni ydy hyn: cynyddu rhyddhad ardrethi busnes fel nad oes angen i dros 70,000 o gwmnïau bach a chanolig dalu treth busnes o gwbl, ac efo 20,000 o fusnesau eraill yn derbyn rhywfaint o ryddhad hefyd. Hefyd yn rhan o strategaeth adfywio mae ardaloedd gwella busnes yn gallu bod yn llwyddiannus iawn - ardaloedd gwella busnes yn cael eu harwain gan y gymuned fusnes leol, ac wedyn maen nhw'n buddsoddi mewn datblygiadau a chynlluniau wedi eu seilio ar flaenoriaethau lleol. Mae BID Bangor a Hwb Caernarfon, er enghraifft, sy'n ardaloedd gwella busnes, wedi gweld busnesau'n cyfrannu ardoll o 1.5 y cant o'u gwerth trethiannol, a'r cyllid yna wedyn yn cael ei ddefnyddio i fuddsoddi a gwella'r ardal.