WelshCabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch am y cyfle i ddiweddaru'r Aelodau am y rhaglen diogelwch adeiladau. Byddaf yn sôn am y camau y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn eu cymryd i amddiffyn lesddeiliaid a sicrhau bod y cartrefi sydd o dan y rhaglen yn ddiogel, a bod y bobl sy'n byw ynddyn nhw yn cael eu trin efo'r tegwch a'r urddas y maen nhw yn eu haeddu.
Rydyn ni'n gwybod bod person, ac yn aml teulu cyfan, y tu ôl i bob ystadegyn. Mae lesddeiliaid ledled Cymru wedi wynebu blynyddoedd o ansicrwydd. Mae llawer wedi methu â gwerthu eu cartrefi. Mae llawer wedi gweld cynigion am forgais yn cael eu tynnu'n ôl, premiymau yswiriant yn codi a chodi, a'u cynlluniau'n cael eu rhwystro neu eu rhoi ar stop. Dyma realiti bywyd sydd wedi achosi caledi go iawn a straen aruthrol i bobl gyffredin sydd heb wneud dim byd ond prynu cartref gyda phob bwriad da.
Dwi am fod yn glir iawn y prynhawn yma: dydy'r cynnydd o ran y gwaith cyweirio ddim wedi symud yn ddigon cyflym. A dwi'n cydnabod y rhwystredigaeth a'r anobaith y mae hynny wedi'i achosi i lawer. Nid lesddeiliaid sydd wedi creu'r sefyllfa hon ac nid nhw ddylai orfod ysgwyddo'r baich.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you for the opportunity to update Members on the building safety programme. I will talk about the steps that the Government is taking to protect leaseholders and to ensure that the homes covered by the programme are safe, and that those living in them are treated with the fairness and the dignity they deserve.
We know that there is a person, and often a whole family, behind every statistic. Leaseholders across Wales have faced years of uncertainty. Many have been unable to sell their homes. Many have seen mortgage offers being withdrawn, they've seen insurance premiums spiral, and they've had their life plans hampered or put on hold. This is the lived reality that has caused genuine hardship and profound stress for ordinary people who did nothing beyond buying a home in good faith.
I want to be really clear this afternoon: the progress in terms of the remediation work has not moved quickly enough. And I recognise the frustration and the hopelessness that this has caused to many. Leaseholders did not create this situation and they should not be made to bear its weight.
Ers derbyn y rôl yma yn Llywodraeth Cymru, dwi wedi cwrdd â lesddeiliaid a gwrando ar eu straeon, ac mae'r hyn dwi wedi'i glywed ganddyn nhw wedi fy nghyffwrdd i. Mae eu hanesion nhw wedi aros efo mi, ac maen nhw wedi siapio fy mhenderfyniad i weithredu ar eu rhan. A dyna pam dwi'n falch o gyhoeddi heddiw lansio grant larymau fel mesur interim Cymru. Bydd y grant yma yn rhoi cymorth ariannol i lesddeiliaid sy'n wynebu costau systemau larwm dros dro sydd eu hangen i gefnogi polisi gwagio adeiladau cydamserol. Bydd rhagor o fanylion am gymhwysedd a sut y gall pobl gael gafael ar y cymorth ar gael yn fuan, ac mi fyddaf i'n sicrhau bod y wybodaeth hon yn cyrraedd y bobl berthnasol cyn gynted â phosibl. A dwi yn gobeithio y bydd y cyhoeddiad yma yn gwneud gwahaniaeth arwyddocaol i lesddeiliaid sy'n ysgwyddo costau mesurau interim.
Gan droi at Ddeddf Diogelwch Adeiladau (Cymru) 2026, dwi'n falch o ddweud bod y gwaith yn symud yn ei flaen yn dda. Mae'r Ddeddf yn gam mawr ymlaen o ran cyflwyno diwygiadau parhaol i wneud adeiladau yng Nghymru yn fwy diogel. Mae'r Ddeddf yn cryfhau'r fframwaith rheoleiddio ar gyfer adeiladau preswyl amlfeddiannaeth ac yn cyflwyno gofynion cymhwysedd newydd ar gyfer aseswyr risg tân. Mae'r Ddeddf hefyd yn creu mecanweithiau cadarnach i ddwyn perchnogion adeiladau i gyfrif, ac yn rhoi llais cryfach i drigolion mewn materion sy'n effeithio ar eu diogelwch.
Mae pawb yn gwybod beth ydy fy marn i erbyn hyn, sef na ddylid disgwyl i lesddeiliaid dalu am gostau cyweirio na wnaethon nhw eu hachosi. A dwi yn credu, lle bynnag y bo'n bosibl, mai'r bobl sydd wedi datblygu, comisiynu neu elwa ar adeiladau anniogel ddylai fod yn gyfrifol. Dyna pam y gwnes i weithio'n galed i sicrhau bod y Ddeddf yn cynnwys darpariaethau sy'n caniatáu i bartïon â diddordeb wneud cais i'r tribiwnlys eiddo preswyl am orchmynion cyweirio a gorchmynion cyfraniadau cyweirio sy'n ymdrin â diffygion diogelwch tân a strwythurol.
Daeth yr ymgynghoriad ar y rheoliadau sydd eu hangen i gynnal yr elfen hon o'r drefn i ben yn gynharach y mis yma, a dwi'n gobeithio gosod y rheoliadau cyn toriad y Nadolig. Dros y flwyddyn nesaf, mi fyddwn ni'n parhau i ymgynghori ar y rheoliadau sydd eu hangen i gynnal y drefn ehangach fel rhan o'n hamserlen weithredu arfaethedig. Ac rydyn ni'n rhagweld y bydd cofrestru adeiladau categori 1 yn dechrau ym mis Rhagfyr 2027. Mi fyddaf i'n diweddaru'r Aelodau wrth i'r rhaglen weithredu fynd yn ei blaen.
Mae'r Ddeddf yn ategu'r rhaglen ddiwygio helaeth sydd wedi'i chyflwyno'n barod drwy Ddeddf Diogelwch Adeiladau 2022 y Deyrnas Unedig, a'r is-ddeddfwriaeth ddilynol, a hynny'n sail i'r drefn reolaeth adeiladu newydd a ddaeth i rym ym mis Gorffennaf. Mae'r drefn newydd yn cryfhau atebolrwydd i ddeiliaid dyletswydd, ac yn ymgorffori'r gofynion cymhwysedd uwch ar gyfer arolygwyr cofrestredig adeiladu a chymeradwywyr cofrestredig rheolaeth adeiladu. Cafodd dogfen gymeradwyo B o'r rheoliadau adeiladu ei newid y llynedd hefyd.
Mi fydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod yn iawn mai trasiedi tŵr Grenfell ydy'r cyd-destun ar gyfer ein rhaglen diogelwch adeiladau gyfan. Wrth i ni gofio am y 72 o bobl a fu farw, hoffwn i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud i weithredu argymhellion ymchwiliad tŵr Grenfell. Mae dros chwarter yr argymhellion bellach wedi cael eu rhoi ar waith yng Nghymru, a dwi’n disgwyl i hynny ddyblu erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Rydyn ni'n delio â llawer o'r argymhellion drwy'r newidiadau deddfwriaethol dwi eisoes wedi sôn amdanyn nhw. Yn ogystal, rydyn ni'n cymryd camau i wella parodrwydd ar gyfer argyfyngau ac ymgorffori gwersi Grenfell ar draws y system.
Yn olaf, fe wnaf i ddychwelyd at ein rhaglen gyweirio. Yr wythnos diwethaf, fe wnes i gyfarfod â datblygwyr sydd wedi llofnodi contract Llywodraeth Cymru. Y Llywodraeth flaenorol oedd hynny. Fe wnes i bwysleisio bod yn rhaid i'r holl rwymedigaethau o dan y contract gael eu bodloni neu mi fyddaf i'n ystyried pob cam gorfodi posib mewn perthynas ag unrhyw fethiannau. Dwi wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod y gwaith cyweirio yn cyflymu ac i ddwyn datblygwyr i gyfrif. Mi fyddaf i'n parhau i ddiweddaru cydweithwyr wrth i'r rhaglen fynd yn ei blaen, a dwi'n croesawu'r gwaith craffu gan Aelodau, a fydd yn ein helpu ni i wneud hyn yn iawn er lles pobl Cymru. Diolch.
Official English translation
Since taking up this role in the Welsh Government, I have met leaseholders and I've listened to their stories, and what I've heard from them has truly moved me. Their accounts have stayed with me, and they have shaped my determination to take action on their behalf. That is why I am pleased to announce today the launch of the Wales interim measures alarm grant. This grant will provide financial support to leaseholders who are facing the costs of interim alarm systems that are required to support a simultaneous evacuation policy. Further detail on eligibility and how people can access the support will be available shortly, and I will ensure that this information reaches the relevant people as quickly as possible. And I do hope that this announcement will make a meaningful difference to leaseholders who are shouldering the costs of interim measures.
Turning to the Building Safety (Wales) Act 2026, I'm pleased to say that we are making steady progress with implementation. The Act marks a major step forward in delivering lasting building safety reform in Wales. The Act strengthens the regulatory framework for multi-occupied residential buildings and it introduces new competence requirements for fire risk assessors. The Act also creates stronger mechanisms to hold building owners to account, and it gives residents a stronger voice in matters affecting their safety.
Everyone knows what my view is now, which is that leaseholders should not be expected to pay for remediation costs that they did not cause. And I do believe that, wherever possible, the people who developed, commissioned or profited from unsafe buildings should be responsible. And that's why I worked hard to ensure that the Act did include provisions that allow interested parties to apply to the residential property tribunal for remediation orders and remediation contribution orders covering fire and structural safety defects.
The consultation on the regulations that are needed to support this element of the regime closed earlier this month, and I hope to the lay regulations before the Christmas recess. Over the coming year, we’ll continue consulting on the regulations that are required to underpin the wider regime as part of our planned implementation schedule. And we anticipate that the registration of category 1 buildings will begin in December 2027. I'll keep Members updated as the implementation programme progresses.
The Act complements the extensive programme of reform already delivered through the UK Building Safety Act 2022, as well as the subsequent secondary legislation, and that underpins the new building control regime that came into force in July. The new regime strengthens accountability for duty holders and it embeds the enhanced competence requirements for registered building inspectors and registered building control approvers. Amendments were also made to approved document B of the building regulations last year.
Members will be very well aware the Grenfell tower tragedy is the backdrop to our entire building safety programme. As we remember the 72 people who lost their lives, I would like to provide an update on the progress being made to implement the recommendations of the Grenfell tower inquiry. Over a quarter of the recommendations have now been implemented in Wales, and I expect that number to double by the end of the year. We are addressing many of the recommendations through the legislative changes I have already spoken about. Additionally, we've taken action to strengthen emergency preparedness and to embed the lessons from Grenfell across the system.
Finally, I'll return to our remediation programme. Last week, I met with developers who have signed up to the Welsh Government contract. That was the previous Government's contract. I emphasised that all obligations under the contract must be met or I will consider all appropriate enforcement avenues in relation to any failures. I am committed to accelerating the pace of remediation and to holding developers to account. I will continue to update colleagues as the programme progresses, and I welcome the scrutiny work from Members, which will help us to get this right for the people of Wales. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, a diolch am nifer o gwestiynau pwysig, ac mi fyddaf i'n ceisio eu hateb nhw fesul un. Dwi'n cytuno'n llwyr efo chi, dydy'r cynnydd ddim wedi digwydd yn ddigon cyflym, a bai'r datblygwyr ydy hynny. Nhw sydd i fod i wneud y gwaith cyweirio ar yr adeiladau yma yng Nghymru. Fe gawson nhw'r neges yna'n glir gen i yr wythnos diwethaf. Mi wnes i gyfarfod efo'r 11 datblygwr—.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, and thank you for asking a number of important questions, and I will seek to take them one at a time. I agree entirely with you that progress hasn't happened swiftly enough, and that is the fault of the developers. They are supposed to carry out the remediation work on these buildings in Wales. They received that message clearly from me just last week. I met with the 11 developers—.
I met the 11 developers last week, and my message to them was very, very clear. The message was that the pace of delivery is simply not good enough. And I said that if I don't see progress, as outlined in the contract that they signed with the previous Government by the end of this year, I will be bringing their names forward here in the Senedd. I will be taking action. And I think that that is one route that I can definitely tell you about, because I've told them, and that that will happen within this year as we look at the progress reports. I'm hoping that that's not going to happen. I hope that they will really ramp up the work. Because we all want to see the leaseholders feeling protected and feeling safe in their places, in their apartments and what have you.
In terms of the data, I can absolutely give you the latest data, which, as you say, is not good enough, but I can give you the data. So, there are 161 buildings in the programme. By now, 11 buildings have been completed or they didn't need work in the first place. I understand that there are two or three others very, very near to that point as well. Work is progressing on 71 of those buildings, but there's work that's being talked about, but hasn't started yet, on 65 buildings, and there are 14 that are awaiting the reviews. So, it's not good enough, and I agree with you on that.
Roeddech chi'n sôn am ddatblygiad penodol yn fanna, yn eich cyfraniad. Dwi'n awgrymu bod yr Aelodau yn cymryd cyfle i ddod i'r briffiad technegol y mae fy swyddogion yn mynd i fod yn cynnal. Bydd cyfle yr amser hynny ichi drafod adeiladau unigol. Yn amlwg, dwi ddim yn mynd i fedru mynd i mewn i bob un o'r sefyllfaoedd, y 161 adeilad, yn fan hyn heddiw, ond mae yna sesiwn friffio i Aelodau ar y gweill. Ac mae'r rheina'n mynd i gael eu cynnal—un yr wythnos yma ac un yr wythnos nesaf. So, mae yna gyfle i bobl ddod a dod â'u cwestiynau ymlaen efo hynny i gyd.
O ran y grant ei hun, dwi'n falch eich bod chi'n croesawu'r grant, achos mae hwn wedi bod yn bryder i nifer o lesddeiliaid, fod y costau o roi'r systemau larwm dros dro i mewn yn yr adeiladau tra bod y gwaith yn digwydd—. Mae rhai ohonyn nhw wedi ffeindio mai nhw sy'n gorfod talu, a dydy hynna ddim yn deg. Dydy hynna ddim yn deg. Mae yna rai datblygwyr wedi talu amdano fo, ond mae yna rai sefyllfaoedd lle dydy hynna ddim wedi digwydd. Mi fydd y grant ar gael—mi fydd y ceisiadau yn agor yn fuan iawn ar gyfer hynny, a'r asiant neu'r person, yr endid cyfrifol, fydd efo'r hawl i wneud y cais yna am y grant, nid y datblygwyr. Y bobl sy'n gweithredu ar ran y llesddeiliaid fydd yn gallu gwneud y cais penodol yna.
O ran y rheoliadau, fel dwi'n dweud, dwi wedi symud yn sydyn ar gael y rheoliadau. Dwi yr un mor rhwystredig â chi am arafwch symud pethau ymlaen, ond byddai'r rheoliadau yna ddim yna o gwbl heblaw am y gwaith y gwnaethom ni ei wneud wrth graffu'r Bil, mewn cydweithrediad efo'r cyn-Ysgrifennydd Cabinet ar y pryd. Felly, mae'r hawl i fynd i dribiwnlys i hawlio arian yn ôl—. Mae'n rhaid gosod y rheoliadau, ac wedyn mae'n rhaid—. Fel dŷch chi'n dweud, mae'n rhwystredig nad ydym ni'n gallu cychwyn arno fo yn syth, ond mi ddaw i fodolaeth.
Official English translation
You mentioned a particular development there in your contribution. I would suggest that Members take the opportunity to come to the technical briefing that my officials will be providing. There will be an opportunity at that point for you to discuss individual buildings. Clearly, I can't go into every single example, in terms of the 161 buildings, here today, but there will be a Members' briefing session held. And those sessions will be held—one this week and one next week. So, there's an opportunity for people to bring their questions forward in that forum too.
In terms of the grant itself, I'm pleased that you've welcomed that, because this has been a concern for many leaseholders, that the costs of putting the temporary alarm systems in place in these buildings while the work is ongoing—. In some cases, leaseholders have had to pay, and that isn't fair. That isn't fair. There are some developers who have paid for it, but there are other scenarios where that hasn't been the case. The grant will be available, and the application process will open very soon for that, and the agent or the responsible body will have that responsibility to make that application, not the developer. It'll be people acting on behalf of the leaseholders who will be able to make that particular application.
In terms of the regulations, as I've said, I've moved swiftly in getting those regulations in place. I am just as frustrated as you about the slow progress here, but those regulations wouldn't be there at all if it wasn't for the work that we did in scrutinising the Bill, in collaboration with the former Cabinet Secretary. So, the right to go to tribunal to claim money back—. We do have to have those regulations in place, and then we have to—. As you say, it is frustrating that we can't start that immediately, but it will come in due course.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i'r cyn-Weinidog, neu Ysgrifennydd Cabinet, a oedd yn gyfrifol am lywio, yn ddeheuig iawn, y Bil sydd bellach yn Ddeddf yn ystod y Senedd ddiwethaf, ac roeddwn i'n falch iawn o gydweithio efo chi. Ac, ie, fel dŷch chi'n ein hatgoffa ni, roedd o'r tro cyntaf i'r Senedd weithredu yn y ffordd hollol gynhwysol yna a phasio'r ddeddfwriaeth yn unfrydol. Mae hi yn fwriad gen i i geisio gweithio yn yr un ffordd efo pawb yn y Siambr yma.
Mi fyddwch chi'n gwybod ein bod ni wedi ymrwymo i ddod â deddfwriaeth newydd i mewn yn y maes tai—nifer o Filiau penodol—er mwyn rhoi gwell gwarchodaeth i rentwyr, ac i edrych yn union ar ba fath o fesurau sydd eu hangen arnom ni yng Nghymru wrth inni symud ymlaen. A dwi yn gobeithio y gallwn ni weithio efo'n gilydd, bawb ohonom ni, er mwyn efelychu'r dull a ddefnyddiwyd yn ystod y Senedd ddiwethaf. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at gael cyfarfodydd cychwynnol efo'r llefaryddion er mwyn inni fod yn egluro sut dŷn ni'n bwriadu symud ymlaen efo deddfwriaeth—ddim yn y maes yma, yn amlwg, ond yn y maes tai yn fwy cyffredinol.
Dŷch chi'n hollol iawn, mae'r ddeddfwriaeth yma yng Nghymru yn eang ei sgôp, ac mae'n cyd-fynd, wrth gwrs, efo'r ddeddfwriaeth a basiwyd yn Lloegr, ond mae'n adeiladu ar hynny ac yn dod ag elfennau gwahanol i mewn—diogelwch a phwy sy'n atebol, ond hefyd, ie, llais y trigolion. Dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n hollbwysig inni gydnabod llais y trigolion yn hyn oll, a phwysigrwydd eu cynnwys nhw wrth inni symud ymlaen. Felly, dwi yn bwriadu cyhoeddi cyn bo hir y byddwn ni'n sefydlu fforwm ar gyfer llesddeiliaid, a bydd mater diogelwch adeiladu yn rhywbeth pwysig y bydd y fforwm yna yn ei drafod. Mae hwnna yn adeiladu ar y gwaith a oedd yn digwydd yn ystod cyfnod y Llywodraeth ddiwethaf.
Dwi'n gwerthfawrogi'n fawr iawn fy mod i wedi cael cyfle i glywed yn uniongyrchol gan y Cladiators fel grŵp ymgyrchu, sydd wedi bod yn ddiflino yn sôn am y gwaith sydd angen ei brysuro. Y bore yma, fe ges i gyfle hefyd i gyfarfod cynrychiolwyr o lesddeiliaid y Sand Wharf yng Nghaerdydd a Swansea Point yn Abertawe, a chlywed yn uniongyrchol ganddyn nhw beth mae'r profiad presennol yn ei olygu i lesddeiliaid a'r pryder y mae o'n ei achosi. Ac yn sicr, mae siarad efo nhw a siarad efo'r pwyllgor hefyd—. Wrth inni fynd yn ein blaenau, dwi'n gobeithio y bydd y pwyllgor llywodraeth leol yn helpu i graffu'r rheoliadau i wneud yn union beth dŷch chi'n awgrymu, sef i wneud y rheoliadau sydd yn mynd i orwedd o dan y ddeddfwriaeth rŵan i wneud yn siŵr bod hynna'n glir a bod y rheini'n bwrpasol. Felly, mae'r gwaith yna. Mae yna lot o waith i'w wneud o dan y Ddeddf, ddim jyst pasio'r Ddeddf—mae yna gymaint o waith sydd angen digwydd o dan hynny, ac mae gennym ni amserlen ar ei gyfer o. Ond y peth cyntaf un gwnes i wneud oedd dod â'r ymgynghoriad ynglŷn â rheoliadau ynglŷn â chostau cyweirio, achos roeddwn i'n ymwybodol bod hwnna'n pwyso yn fawr ar nifer fawr o bobl.
O ran y gweithlu arbenigol sydd ei angen, yn sicr, mae hwnna'n rhywbeth rydym ni'n rhoi sylw iddo fo. Fel rydych chi'n gwybod, mae adrannau rheolaeth adeiladu ac adrannau cynllunio wedi colli gweithwyr, wedi colli staff, dros gyfnod hir rŵan, ac, yn sicr, rydym ni'n rhoi sylw i hynny o ran sut medrwn ni ddod â'r arbenigedd penodol yna yn ôl. Wrth gwrs, y syniad ydy bod yna dri awdurdod yn arwain ar y gwaith yma, a dwi'n meddwl drwy wneud o fel yna—ac roeddwn i'n falch o gefnogi'r gwelliant yna ar gyfer y Bil hefyd—o'i wneud o mewn ffordd sydd wedi—. Dydyn ddim yn disgwyl i'r 22 awdurdod lleol gymryd y baich yma yn unigol. Rydym ni'n mynd i wneud o mewn ffordd ranbarthol, ac felly dwi'n meddwl bydd hwnna'n creu'r gweithlu arbenigol rydym ni'n mynd i fod ei angen. Diolch.
Official English translation
Thank you very much to the former Minister, or Cabinet Secretary, who was responsible for steering, very agilely, the Bill that is now an Act during the last Senedd, and I was very pleased to work together with you. And, yes, as you remind us, it was the first time for this Senedd to operate in that entirely inclusive, collaborative way and to pass that legislation unanimously. It is my intention to try and work in that same way with everyone in this Chamber.
You will know that we have committed to bring forward new legislation in the area of housing—a number of specific Bills—in order to give better protections to renters, and to look at exactly what kinds of measures are needed here in Wales as we move forward. And I do hope that we can work together, every one of us, in order to follow the same approach that we followed in the last Senedd. I look forward to having initial meetings with party spokespeople in order for us to explain how we intend to move forward with the legislation—not in this area, clearly, but in the area of housing more generally.
You are quite right, this legislation in Wales is very broad in its scope, and it aligns, of course, with the legislation that was passed in England, but it builds on that and brings different elements in—safety and who is accountable, but also, yes, the residents' voice. I think it is crucial that we acknowledge the residents' voice in all of this, and the importance of including them as we move forward. So, I do intend to announce shortly that we will establish a forum for leaseholders, and the issue of building safety will be something very important that that forum will be discussing. That builds on the work that was happening during the last Government.
I very much appreciate that I had the opportunity to hear directly from the Cladiators as a campaign group, who have been tirelessly campaigning and talking about the work that needs to happen at pace. This morning, I also had an opportunity to meet with representatives from the leaseholders of the Sand Wharf in Cardiff and Swansea Point in Swansea, and to hear directly from them about what the current experience means for leaseholders and the concern and the worry that it causes. And certainly, speaking with them and speaking with the committee as well—. As we move forward, I hope that the local government committee will help us to scrutinise the regulations to do exactly what you suggest, which is to make regulations that will lie under the legislation now to make sure that that is clear and that those regulations are suitable. So, there is that work. There is a lot of work to do under this Act; it's not just passing the Act—there is so much work that needs to happen underneath that, and we do have a timetable for that. But the very first thing that I did was to bring forward that consultation on regulations about the costs of remediation, because I was aware that that was something that was weighing very heavily on a great number of people.
In terms of the expert, specialist workforce that's needed, certainly that is something that we are giving due attention to. As you know, building control departments and planning departments have lost workers, have lost staff, over a long period of time now, and, certainly, we are paying attention to that and how we can bring that expertise back in. Of course, the idea is that there would be three authorities leading on this work, and I think by doing it in that way—and I was pleased to support that amendment to the Bill as well—in doing it in that way—. We aren't expecting all 22 local authorities to take on this burden individually. We're going to do it in a regional way, and I think that that will create the specialist workforce that we are going to need. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Peter, am y cwestiynau yna. Wrth gwrs, dwi’n cytuno'n llwyr efo chi: mae’n rhaid gweld gweithredu. Dyna sydd yn bwysig yn fan hyn, a dyna pam roeddwn i wedi cynnal y cyfarfod efo datblygwyr wythnos diwethaf, er mwyn pwyso’r neges glir yna ein bod ni yn disgwyl gweld cynnydd, a chynnydd ar gyflymder, er mwyn lles y bobl sydd yn byw efo pryder parhaus oherwydd eu bod nhw'n cael eu hatgoffa drwy'r amser am beth ddigwyddodd yn Grenfell. A dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig—. Diolch i chi am sôn am hynny. Mae'n bwysig inni gofio pam rydym ni yn gwneud y gwaith yma. Mae o'n deillio nôl i'r drasiedi yna saith mlynedd yn ôl, bellach. Felly, dyna oedd fy neges i'r datblygwyr. Dwi yn atebol i'r lesddeiliaid. Dwi ddim yn atebol i'r datblygwyr. Y lesddeiliaid sydd ar fy meddwl i, a drwoch chi yn y Senedd dwi'n atebol iddyn nhw hefyd, a dyna pam byddaf i'n dod ag adroddiadau cynnydd i chi yn fan hyn.
Ac mae'r monitro agos yna yn digwydd. Mae fy swyddogion i yn siarad efo'r datblygwyr yn barhaus ac yn ceisio eu helpu nhw i gael gwared ar rai o'r rhwystrau sydd yna. Ond, ar ddiwedd y dydd, mae’n rhaid iddyn nhw gymryd eu cyfrifoldeb o ddifri, a dwi yn gobeithio gweld cynnydd erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Dyna oedd yn y contract gan y Llywodraeth flaenorol. Roedden nhw'n disgwyl gweld y gwaith wedi’i ddechrau gan bob datblygwr erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn yma. Rydym ni'n bell o hynny, ond dyna'r disgwyliad dwi'n gosod arnyn nhw, ac, os nad ydy hynny'n digwydd, dwi wedi egluro byddaf i yn gorfod cymryd camau pellach, a byddaf i yn dechrau sôn yn benodol am broblemau yn y Siambr yma, achos dwi'n atebol i chi yn hynny o beth.
O ran y grant, dwi’n falch eich bod chi yn croesawu hwnna. Mae hwn yn medru cael ei weinyddu yn sydyn iawn, i'w gael o allan o’r drws cyn gynted â phosib. Y bore yma, roeddwn i'n siarad efo cynrychiolydd o Swansea Point yn Abertawe oedd yn sôn bod yna ryw 240 o adeiladau mae o'n eu cynrychioli ac y byddai'r datblygiadau yna yn gallu cael budd penodol allan o'r grant. Yn Sand Wharf, mae yna 100 o bobl—100 o unedau—a allai gael budd allan o hwn.
Y meini prawf, bydd y rheini ar gael yn fuan iawn i bobl gael craffu'r rheini, ond yn sicr fydd y grant ddim yn talu am gostau patrolio adeilad ar droed, sef y waking watch, achos mae hwnna wedi bod yn gost sylweddol. Rydyn ni'n symud rŵan at grantiau ar gyfer y larymau, a gobeithio bod y larymau yna yn gallu bod yn rhai parhaol. Mae modd rhoi larymau dros dro i mewn sydd efo'r gallu i gael eu haddasu ar gyfer pan fydd y gwaith wedi cael ei orffen. Felly, gobeithio bod hwnna'n esbonio ychydig bach mwy am hynny.
Mae eich pwynt chi ynglŷn â chartrefi cymdeithasol ac awydd clir y Llywodraeth yma i gynyddu'r cyflenwad o dai cymdeithas yn hollol, hollol briodol. Wrth gwrs, mae safonau diogelwch yn gorfod eu cynnal. Rydym ni'n sôn am gartrefi cymunedol, cartrefi cymdeithasol o ansawdd uchel, carbon isel ac yn saff. Felly, mae hynny'n holl, holl bwysig. Mae o'n rhan o uchelgais y Llywodraeth yma fod pobl yng Nghymru yn gallu cael cartref diogel a fforddiadwy ar gyfer y tymor hir.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Peter, for those questions. Of course, I agree entirely with you: we do have to see action. That is what is important here, and that is why I held that meeting with the developers last week, in order to emphasise that very clear message that we do expect to see progress, and progress at pace, for the benefit of the people living with this ongoing concern and anxiety, because they are constantly reminded of what happened at Grenfell. And I do think it is important—. Thank you for mentioning that. It is important that we remember why we are doing this work. It does all go back to that tragedy seven years ago now. So, that was my message to the developers. I am accountable to leaseholders. I am not accountable to the developers. It is the leaseholders who are at the forefront of my thoughts, and through you in the Senedd I am also accountable to them, and that is why I will bring progress reports to you in this place.
And that close monitoring is happening. My officials speak to the developers on an ongoing basis and are trying to help them remove some of the barriers that are in place. But, at the end of the day, they do have to take their responsibilities seriously, and I do hope to see progress by the end of the year. That is what was in the previous Government's contract. They expected to see the work started by all developers by the end of this year. We are a long way from that point, but that is the expectation I am placing on them, and, if that does not happen, as I have explained, I will then have to take further steps, and I will start to talk specifically about problems in this Chamber, because I am accountable to you in that regard.
In terms of the grant, I am pleased that you have welcomed that. This can be put in place very quickly, and we can get it out of the door as soon as possible. This morning I was speaking to a representative from Swansea Point in Swansea and he mentioned that there are around 240 buildings that he represents, and that those developments could benefit specifically from the grant. In Sand Wharf, there are 100 units that could benefit from this.
The criteria will be made available very soon so that people can scrutinise those, but certainly the grant won't pay for waking watch costs, because those have been significant. We are now moving to grants for the alarms, and I do very much hope that those alarms can be permanent. You can put in temporary alarms that can be adapted for when the work has been completed and retained. So, hopefully that explains a little more on that.
Your point on social housing and the clear desire of this Government to increase the supply of social housing is entirely appropriate. Of course, safety standards have to be maintained. We are talking about community housing and social housing that is high quality, low carbon and safe. That is crucially important. It's part of the ambition of this Government that people in Wales should be able to access a safe and affordable home for the long term.
Diolch yn fawr. Fel chi, dwi wedi cyfarfod llesdeiliaid sydd yn bryderus iawn ac wedi wynebu costau mawr, a chyda dim bai o gwbl arnyn nhw eu hunain, wrth gwrs. Felly, mae'r rheoliadau sydd newydd gael eu hymgynghori arnyn nhw, pan ddaw'r rheini i rym, mi fydd tenantiaid a llesdeiliaid yn gallu hawlio costau yn ôl ar gyfer y gwaith cyweirio. Roedd hwnna'n un o'r pethau penodol gwnaethon ni weithio arno fo wrth i'r Bil fynd trwyddo, fod y tribiwnlysoedd yma yn gallu rhoi llwybr i denantiaid i gael eu costau cyweirio yn ôl, achos dydy o jyst ddim yn deg eu bod nhw'n wynebu, heb unrhyw fath o fai arnyn nhw o gwbl, y costau yma sydd yn achosi cymaint o bryder iddyn nhw.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Yes, like you, I have met leaseholders who are very concerned and who have faced enormous costs, and through no fault of their own at all, of course. So, the regulations that have just been consulted on, when those come into force, tenants and leaseholders will be able to claim costs back for the remediation work. That was one of the specific things that we worked on as the Bill went through, that the tribunals would be able to provide a pathway for tenants to be able to claim their remediation costs back, because it just isn't fair that they have to face, through no fault of their own at all, these costs that are causing so much concern and worry for them.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn. I fod yn glir, dydyn ni ddim yn gofyn i drethdalwyr dalu am y gwaith cyweirio; rydyn ni'n gofyn i'r datblygwyr symud ymlaen efo'r gwaith cyweirio.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for your question. Just to be clear, we are not asking taxpayers to pay for remediation work; we are asking the developers to proceed with that remediation work.
We're not asking taxpayers to pay; we're asking the developers to speed up the remediation work and, in that way, make the homes safe for the leaseholders who are living in anxiety at the moment, and facing costs as well that, following the introduction of the new regulations, they will be able to go to a tribunal to claim.
O ran y pwynt bod cysylltiad rhwng y gwaith yma a'r gwaith cyflenwi tai cymdeithasol, dwi ddim rili yn gweld bod yna gysylltiad. Mae'n rhaid i'r gwaith yma ddigwydd. Mae'n rhaid i'r adeiladau yma gael eu gwneud yn saff. Mae'r Ddeddf yn dweud hynny. Mae'r gwaith o gynyddu’r cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol yn rhywbeth sydd yn mynd i ddigwydd yn raddol dros gyfnod. Mae yna pipeline da o brosiectau o fewn y system yna. Felly, dwi ddim wir yn gweld cysylltiad rhwng y ddau beth. Diolch.
Official English translation
In terms of your point that there's a link between this work and the supply of social housing, I don't really see that there is a link there. This work must happen. These buildings must be made safe. The legislation states so. The work to increase the supply of social housing is something that will happen gradually over a period of time. There is a good pipeline of projects in place in that system. So, I don't really see a link between the two things. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Mike. Rydych chi hefyd yn pwysleisio'r caledi y mae rhai o'ch etholwyr chi wedi bod ac yn wynebu oherwydd y sefyllfa yma, a'r angen i'w trin nhw efo tegwch a pharch ac urddas. Yn sicr, dwi yn gwneud hynny. Fe wnes i gyfarfod etholwr o Abertawe heddiw a oedd yn sôn am y pryder sydd ganddyn nhw oherwydd yr arafwch efo datblygiad Swansea Point yn benodol.
Dwi'n deall eich pwynt chi o ran rhoi grantiau tuag at larymau interim, a bod hynny efallai yn arwydd bod pethau mynd i arafu. Ond, beth dwi'n gwybod all ddigwydd ydy bod y larymau yma yn medru cael eu gosod fel mesur dros dro, ond mae yna ffordd o'u haddasu nhw fel eu bod nhw yna yn barhaol. Felly, mae hwnna yn arwydd bod pethau'n gallu symud ymlaen, oherwydd fe fydd y larymau yna yn gallu bod yna ar ôl i'r gwaith gael ei gwblhau.
Jest i'ch atgoffa chi, wrth i ni gloi, Ddirprwy Lywydd, gofyniad y Llywodraeth ddiwethaf yn y cytundeb efo'r datblygwyr oedd bod gwaith i ddechrau ym mhob adeilad erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn yma. Dyna'r disgwyliad. Efallai nad ydy'r disgwyliad yna wedi cael ei wneud y ddigon clir i ddatblygwyr—dwi'n credu efallai ei fod o—gan y cyn-Lywodraeth, ond mae'r Llywodraeth yma yn benderfynol bod y datblygwyr yn cymryd eu gwaith yn gwbl, gwbl o ddifrif.
Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at ddod yn ôl yma i'r Senedd, nid i sôn am y problemau, ond i sôn am y stori dda sydd wedi digwydd yng Nghymru efo'r rhaglen diogelwch adeiladau. Diolch.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Mike. You are also emphasising the hardship that some of your constituents have faced and are facing because of this situation, and the need to treat them with dignity, respect and fairness. Certainly, I am doing that. I met with a constituent from Swansea today who spoke about the concern that they have because of the slow progress with the development at Swansea Point in particular.
I understand your point in terms of providing grants for the interim alarms, and that that perhaps is a sign that things are going to slow down. However, what I know can happen is that these alarms can be installed as a temporary measure, but there is a way of adapting them so that they can remain there permanently. So, that is a sign that things can move forward, because those alarms can remain there after the work is completed.
Just to remind you, in closing, Dirprwy Lywydd, the requirement of the previous Government in the agreement with developers was that work was to be started in every building by the end of this year. That was the expectation. Perhaps that expectation hasn't been made clear enough to developers—I think it probably was—by the previous Government, but this Government is determined that the developers will take their work completely and entirely seriously.
I look forward to returning here to the Senedd, not to talk to you about the problems, but to tell a positive story about what's happened in Wales with the building safety programme. Thank you.
WelshCabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Diolch yn fawr iawn, a phrynhawn da, bawb. Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig sydd yn gyfrifol am ddeddfwriaeth a chanllawiau sy'n ymwneud â chynlluniau pensiwn llywodraeth leol, gan gynnwys buddsoddiadau. Yr awdurdodau gweinyddu a Phartneriaeth Pensiwn Cymru sy'n gyfrifol am benderfynu sut mae'r arian yma yn cael ei fuddsoddi yng Nghymru.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, and good afternoon, all. The UK Government is responsible for legislation and guidance on the local government pension scheme, including in relation to investments. The administering authorities and the Wales Pension Partnership are responsible for decisions on how this money is invested in Wales.
Dydy'r ffaith fy mod i rŵan yn Weinidog mewn Llywodraeth ddim yn newid fy ngwerthoedd i o gwbl. Dwi'n parhau i fod yn ymgyrchydd yn ogystal ag yn Weinidog o fewn Llywodraeth Cymru, a dwi'n siŵr bod Aelodau eraill y Cabinet yn cyd-fynd â hynny.
Mae yna le i gronfeydd pensiwn yng Nghymru fuddsoddi'n gyfrifol ac yn lleol. Wrth gwrs, er, fel rydych chi'n nodi, nad does gennym ni ddim cyfrifoldeb uniongyrchol dros y cronfeydd pensiwn, mae yna drafodaethau yn digwydd, ac rydyn ni'n annog awdurdodau pensiwn i fuddsoddi'n gyfrifol ac yn foesegol, fel bod pensiynau'r sector cyhoeddus yn cyfrannu'n gadarnhaol at ddyfodol Cymru—yn economaidd, yn gymdeithasol ac yn amgylcheddol.
Un defnydd gwych o gronfeydd pensiwn ydy buddsoddi yn y stoc tai cymdeithasol, ac rydych chi'n gwybod fy mod i'n ymgyrchu dros fwy o dai cymdeithasol. Dwi'n deall bod cronfa bensiwn dinas a sir Abertawe newydd greu cronfa effaith lleol gwerth £51 miliwn a fydd yn buddsoddi mewn tai cymdeithasol lleol, ymhlith pethau eraill. Dwi'n gefnogol iawn i hynny.
Partneriaeth Pensiwn Cymru sydd yn gyfrifol am esbonio sut y byddan nhw'n buddsoddi. Dydy hynny ddim yn golygu peidio â buddsoddi yn y diwydiant amddiffyn, er enghraifft, ond mae o'n golygu peidio â buddsoddi mewn cwmnïau sy'n cynhyrchu arfau dadleuol. Felly, mae yna, yn barod, fframwaith moesegol ar gyfer Partneriaeth Pensiwn Cymru.
Official English translation
The fact that I'm now a Minister in Government doesn't change my values at all. I continue to be a campaigner as well as a Minister in the Welsh Government, and I'm sure that other members of the Cabinet agree with that.
There is a place for pension funds in Wales to invest responsibly and locally. Of course, although, as you note, we don't have direct responsibility over pension funds, there are discussions that happen, and we do encourage pension authorities to invest responsibly and ethically, so that public sector pensions contribute positively to the future of Wales—economically, socially and environmentally.
One excellent use of pension funds is investing in the social housing stock, and you know that I'm campaigning for more social housing. I understand that the city and county of Swansea pension fund has just created a fund worth £51 million that will invest in social housing on a local level. I'm very supportive of that step.
The Wales Pension Partnership is responsible for explaining how they will invest. That doesn't mean not investing in the defence industry, for example, but it does mean not investing in companies that produce controversial arms. So, already there is an ethical framework for the Wales Pension Partnership.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Wrth gwrs, mae angen i'r cronfeydd pensiwn fuddsoddi mewn ffordd sydd yn gadarn ac sydd yn gwarchod y rheini sydd yn elwa yn uniongyrchol o'r cronfeydd hynny, ond dwi'n credu ein bod ni eisiau gweld buddsoddiad cyfrifol a moesegol gan awdurdodau pensiynau, fel bod pensiynau'r sector cyhoeddus yn cyfrannu mewn ffordd gadarnhaol at ddyfodol Cymru, a hynny'n economaidd, yn gymdeithasol ac yn amgylcheddol. Ar ôl pasio Deddf Cynlluniau Pensiwn 2026 y Deyrnas Unedig yn gynharach eleni, mi fydd awdurdodau pensiwn a chronfa Cymru yn cytuno ar eu strategaethau buddsoddi dros y misoedd nesaf. Felly, dydy'r strategaethau yna ddim yn rhai sydd wedi cael eu diffinio yn fanwl eto, ond dwi yn edrych ymlaen at drafod efo nhw yn unol â gwerthoedd y Llywodraeth yma.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Of course, the pension funds do need to invest in a way that is robust and safeguards those people who will benefit directly from those funds, but I do believe that we want to see responsible and ethical investment by pension authorities, so that public sector pensions do contribute in a positive way to the future of Wales, economically, socially and environmentally. Having passed the UK Pension Schemes Act 2026 earlier this year, the pension authority and the Welsh fund will agree on investment strategies over the next few months. So, those strategies haven't yet been defined in detail as of yet, but I do look forward to having discussions with them in line with this Government's values.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Ydw, dwi yn cytuno efo chi. Dyna pam dwi'n awyddus i weithio efo Partneriaeth Pensiwn Cymru i archwilio pa gamau pellach y gallwn ni eu cymryd efo'n gilydd i gryfhau cyfraniad cronfeydd pensiwn llywodraeth leol Cymru i Gymru, ac i'r math o fuddsoddiadau rydym ni am eu gweld yn digwydd yn ein gwlad ni.
Dwi'n sôn am dai eto, oherwydd dwi yn credu bod tai cymdeithasol yn un o'r materion hynny rydych chi'n cyfeirio atyn nhw, sef nid yn unig y peth iawn i wneud, oherwydd ein bod ni eisiau cyflymu'r broses o gyflenwi mwy o dai cymdeithasol, ond hefyd mae yna lif cyson o incwm yn dod drwy'r rhent o dai cymdeithasol. Felly, mae'n gwneud synnwyr yn gyffredinol hefyd ar gyfer buddsoddi yma yng Nghymru. Dwi'n falch iawn o'r cyfraniad yna gennych chi yn cefnogi yr hyn rydym ni'n ei wneud o fewn Llywodraeth.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Yes, I do agree with you. That is why I'm eager to work with the Wales Pension Partnership to consider what further steps we can take together to strengthen the contribution of local government pension funds to Wales and to the kinds of investment that we want to see within our own country.
I'm talking specifically here of homes again, because I do think that social housing is one of those issues that you're referring to, which is not only the right thing to do, because we want to accelerate the process of providing more social homes, but there is also a consistent income flow coming in through rent from social housing. Therefore, it makes sense in general terms too for this investment here in Wales. I'm very pleased to hear that contribution from you supporting what we're doing within Government.
Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn. Bydd y tasglu canol trefi y byddwn ni'n cyhoeddi mwy amdano yn fuan iawn yn mynd i'r afael â'r heriau strwythurol sy'n wynebu canol trefi, gan gynnwys edrych ar ardrethi busnes a diwygio'r drefn gynllunio, a thrwy weithio ar y cyd â phartneriaid a chynnal ffocws cryf ar gyflawni i helpu canol trefi i addasu, denu buddsoddiad a gweithgarwch a ffynnu yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for the question. The town centre taskforce that we're going to be announcing more about quite soon will address the structural challenges facing town centres, including looking at business rates and planning reform, and by working collaboratively with partners and maintaining a strong focus on delivery to help town centres adapt, attract investment and activity and thrive in the years ahead.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Medraf ddweud wrthych chi y prynhawn yma fod Powys wedi elwa ar fwy na £12.9 miliwn o gyllid adfywio Llywodraeth Cymru ers 2021. Mae hyn o dan y weinyddiaeth flaenorol, wrth gwrs. Mae'r gronfa yma wedi bod yn datblygu ar hyd y blynyddoedd. Felly dwi yn falch o fedru cyhoeddi bod £12.9 miliwn ym Mhowys, yn cynnwys yn Llandrindod, sydd yn agos i lle rydych chi'n byw, dwi'n credu, lle mae cymorth wedi cael ei roi i alluogi adfer adeilad hanesyddol Auto Palace, gan greu canolfan fusnes newydd yng nghanol y dre. Yn y Drenewydd, mi fues i yn ddiweddar yn Hafan yr Afon, datblygiad pwysig iawn sydd yn gweddnewid y rhan yna o'r dref. Mae hwnnw wedi cael ei gefnogi efo £1.1 miliwn o gyllid. Mae'r adeilad yna wedi cael ei greu, gyda llaw, efo dull passive house, sef y safon ddylunio fwyaf ynni effeithiol yn y byd, ac mae hwnna yn y Drenewydd ac wedi defnyddio peth arian allan o'r gronfa yma. Felly mae'r wybodaeth yna, a dwi'n siŵr y gallwn ni roi'r darlun cyfan fesul awdurdod lleol hefyd.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I can tell you this afternoon that Powys has benefited from more than £12.9 million in regeneration funding from the Welsh Government since 2021. This is under a previous administration, of course. This fund has been developing over the years. So, I am pleased to be able to announce that there is £12.9 million in Powys, including in Llandrindod, which is close to where you live, I believe, where support has been given to enable the restoration of a historic building, Auto Palace, creating a new business centre in the centre of town. In Newtown, I recently visited Hafan yr Afon, an important development that is transforming that part of the town. That has been supported with £1.1 million of funding. That building has been created, by the way, using the passive house approach, which is the most energy-efficient standard for building in the world, and that's happened in Newtown using some money from this fund. So, the information is there, and I'm sure that we can provide you with the full picture in each local authority too.
Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn ac roeddwn i'n hynod o falch o weld y cyhoeddiad yma yn rhan o'r cyhoeddiad am raglen ddeddfu y Llywodraeth yma. Dŷn ni wedi ymrwymo yn glir i gyflwyno Bil hawl cymunedol i brynu a bydd hynny'n flaenoriaeth gennym ni yn ystod y misoedd nesaf yma rŵan.
Dwi'n ymwybodol iawn o nifer fawr o grwpiau cymunedol sydd yn awyddus iawn i brynu ac i gaffael adeiladau sydd yn dod yn wag yn eu cymunedau nhw, er mwyn eu troi nhw'n asedau sydd o ddefnydd i'r gymuned, i fywiogi'r gymuned ac i fywiogi'r stryd fawr yn aml hefyd. Dwi'n ymwybodol hefyd fod rhwystrau yn dod ar draws hynny yn aml iawn, ac weithiau maen nhw'n colli'r cyfle i brynu ased ac i'w droi o at ddefnydd y gymuned. Felly, dwi yn gobeithio y byddwn ni i gyd yn gallu cytuno ar ddeddfwriaeth newydd fydd yn grymuso grwpiau cymunedol, fel eu bod nhw'n gallu adnabod, yn y lle cyntaf, asedau sydd yn eu cymunedau nhw y gallan nhw fod eisiau eu prynu i'r dyfodol, ein bod ni'n creu cofrestr yn nodi'r rheini i gyd, ac wedyn, pan maen nhw'n dod ar y farchnad, eu bod nhw'n cael y cynnig cyntaf i brynu, ac wedyn yn cael y cyfle i wneud achos busnes ac i fynd ymlaen efo'r broses. Dydy hynny ddim yn digwydd ar hyn o bryd ac mae yna gyfleoen yn cael eu colli.
Dwi yn bwriadu trefnu cyfres o weithdai dros fisoedd yr haf rŵan efo partneriaid, efo cymunedau, er mwyn inni gael mwy o gig ar yr asgwrn ar gyfer y ddeddfwriaeth newydd yma. Dwi'n eich annog chi i gyd i gymryd rhan yn hwnna ac annog grwpiau cymunedol yn eich etholaethau i fod yn rhan o'r ddeddfwriaeth newydd bwysig yma.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for the question and I was very pleased to see that this announcement was part of the announcement on the Government's legislative programme. We are clearly committed to introducing a Bill on community right to buy and that will be a priority for us in the next few months now.
I am very aware of a great number of community groups that are keen to buy and to procure buildings that become empty in their communities, in order to turn them into assets that are of use to the community, to bring life to the community and to the high street quite often as well. I am very aware as well that there are barriers quite often to doing this, and sometimes they lose the opportunity to buy an asset and to transform it for community use. So, I do hope that we all will be able to agree on new legislation that will empower community groups, so that they can identify, in the first place, assets that are in their community that they might want to buy for the future, that we create a register identifying all of those, and that then, when they do come on the market, they get first offer on those properties, and then have an opportunity to make a business case and to continue with the process. That is not happening at the moment and opportunities are being missed.
I do intend to arrange a series of workshops over the summer now with partners, with communities, in order for us to have more detail in terms of this new legislation. I encourage you all to take part in that and encourage community groups in your constituencies to be part of this new important legislation.
Mae'r ddeddfwriaeth newydd, yr oeddwn i'n rhan o'i chreu yn y Senedd ddiwethaf, yn fwy pellgyrhaeddol na'r ddeddfwriaeth yn Lloegr a ddaeth i rym rai blynyddoedd yn ôl. Mi ydyn ni yn ymgynghori ar reoliadau newydd. Fe wnes i wthio'r weinyddiaeth flaenorol i gynnwys y gallu yna. Felly, dŷn ni'n ymgynghori ar reoliadau newydd a fydd yn golygu bod pobl sydd yn byw mewn adeiladau sydd ddim wedi cael eu hadfer, neu sydd yn wynebu costau ychwanegol drwy fod eu costau gwasanaeth nhw wedi cynyddu'n sgil gwaith sydd yn gorfod cael ei wneud—bydd gan y bobl yna, unwaith mae'r rheoliadau yna'n dod i rym, lwybr i fynd â materion i dribiwnlys. Rŵan, mae hynny'n gam sylweddol ymlaen, ac mae o'n mynd i gymryd ychydig bach o amser, ychydig o fisoedd, tan ein bod ni'n dod â'r rheoliadau yna i rym. Dwi'n gobeithio y bydd pawb yn cefnogi—dwi'n siŵr y byddwch chi'n cefnogi—y rheoliadau yna.
Mae yna dair agwedd mewn gwirionedd, onid oes? Mae'r ddeddfwriaeth newydd sydd yng Nghymru, ond mae hefyd y gwaith adfer, sydd yn hynod o araf deg; mae o'n hynod o araf deg—dŷn ni'n derbyn hynny. Dwi wedi gwadd y cwmnïau sydd yn dal wrthi'n gwneud y gwaith i'm cyfarfod i fis nesaf, lle byddan nhw'n cael neges hollol glir fod y Llywodraeth yma yn mynnu bod y gwaith adfer yna yn cyflymu, a bod pace y gwaith yn cyflymu.
Official English translation
The new legislation that I was involved in drawing up in the last Senedd is more far-reaching than the legislation in England, which came into force some years ago. We are consulting on new regulations. I pushed the previous administration to include the ability to do that. So, we are consulting on new regulations that will mean that those people living in buildings that haven't been remediated, or who are facing additional costs because their service charges have increased because of work that has to be done—those people will have a route to tribunal, once those new regulations are in place. Now, that is a significant step forward, and it's going to take a little time, a few months, before we bring those regulations into force. I hope that everyone will support—I'm sure that you will support—those regulations.
There are three aspects of this in reality, aren't there? There is the new legislation in Wales, but there is also the remediation work, which is extremely slow in happening; it is extremely slow—we accept that. I have invited the companies that are continuing with this work to meet with me next month, where they will get a very clear message that this Government insists that that remediation work should be accelerated, and that the pace should go up.
Diolch yn fawr. I fynd yn ôl at eich pwynt chi am y Cladiators, do, mi ges i gyfarfod adeiladol iawn efo nhw ddydd Llun. Roeddwn i'n falch iawn o'u cyfarfod nhw a chlywed eu pryderon nhw'n uniongyrchol ganddyn nhw.
Mi wnes i ddatganiad ysgrifenedig ddydd Llun a oedd yn cadarnhau yr 20,000 o dai cymdeithasol newydd sydd mawr eu hangen yng Nghymru, i bawb sydd yn byw yng Nghymru. Mae'r ffordd y mae tai cymdeithasol yn cael eu dynodi yn fater i awdurdodau lleol. Mae awdurdodau lleol yn casglu cofrestr tai ac mae tai yn cael eu dyrannu yn ôl angen, ac felly y dylai hi fod hefyd. Felly, dwi'n edrych ymlaen i'r gwaith rŵan o gyflenwi mwy o dai cymdeithasol. Dyna ydy gwraidd y broblem; gwraidd y broblem, gwraidd yr argyfwng tai yng Nghymru, ydy bod gennym ni ddim digon o dai cymdeithasol. Dydy'r cyflenwad ddim yn ddigonol i ateb y galw, ac yn y fan yna y dylem ni fod yn rhoi ein hymdrechion ni drwy'r amser.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. To return to your point on the Cladiators, yes, I had a very constructive meeting with them on Monday. I was delighted to meet with them and to hear their concerns directly from them.
I made a written statement on Monday that confirmed the 20,000 social homes that are desperately needed in Wales, for everyone living in Wales. The way that social housing is allocated is a matter for local authorities. Local authorities have a housing register and homes are allocated according to need, and that's how it should be too. Therefore, I look forward to the work now of supplying more social homes. That's what's at the heart of the problem; the core of the housing crisis in Wales is that we don't have enough social homes. The supply isn't adequate to meet demand, and that is where we should be focusing our efforts always.
Dwi'n siomedig iawn efo'r cwestiwn yna. Yn sicr i chi, dwi ddim yn gwybod a ydy'r ystadegau yna'n gywir neu a ydyn nhw ddim. Beth bynnag, dwi'n siomedig eich bod chi'n mynnu mynd ar ôl hyn dro ar ôl tro yn y Siambr yma. Fel roeddwn i'n dweud, mae'r argyfwng tai yn cael ei greu oherwydd bod yna ddiffyg cyflenwad o dai cymdeithasol i fynd o gwmpas i ddiwallu yr angen. Mae pawb sydd yng Nghymru yn haeddu cael to uwch eu pen a lle saff i fyw. Felly, dwi ddim eisiau mynd ar ôl y mater yma ymhellach.
Official English translation
I'm extremely disappointed with that question. Certainly, I don't know whether those statistics are accurate or not. But I am disappointed that you are insisting on pursuing this time and time again in this Chamber. As I said, the housing crisis has been created because of a shortage of social housing to meet demand. Everyone in Wales deserves a roof over their head and a safe place to live. So, I don't want to pursue this issue any further.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae rhan olaf eich cwestiwn chi ynglŷn â'r pwysau mawr sydd yn wynebu llywodraeth leol yn gywir, ydy. Dŷch chi'n sôn am anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, dŷch chi'n sôn am wasanaethau cymdeithasol, gwasanaethau gofal. Mae llywodraeth leol o dan bwysau mawr iawn ac wedi bod yn cwtogi cyllidebau am flynyddoedd lawer, ac wedi bod yn gorfod cwtogi cyllidebau mewn rhai mannau sydd wirioneddol dan bwysau rŵan, o ran cynllunio, er enghraifft, a rheolau adeiladu. Mae'r gwasanaethau yna wedi cyrraedd pwynt anodd iawn, ond, wrth gwrs, maen nhw wedi gwneud hynny er mwyn diogelu rhai o'r gwasanaethau sydd yn cefnogi'r bobl fwyaf bregus o fewn ein cymdeithas ni. Doedd ganddyn nhw ddim dewis o ran gwneud hynny, oherwydd polisïau llymder y Torïaid ar draws cymaint o flynyddoedd, polisïau sydd wedi cael eu dilyn gan Lywodraeth Lafur y Deyrnas Unedig hefyd.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. The final part of your question in terms of the great pressures facing local government is accurate, yes. You talk about ALN, you talk about social services, care services. Local government is under great pressure and has been cutting budgets for many years, and has had to cut budgets in some areas that are now under genuine pressure—planning, for example, and building regulations. Those services have reached a very difficult point, but, of course, they've done that in order to safeguard some of the services that support the most vulnerable people in our society. They haven't had a choice other than to do that, because of the austerity policies of the Conservatives across so many years, policies that have been emulated by the UK Labour Government as well.
Wel, mi fyddwch chi'n cofio, adeg eich cyllideb chi fel Llafur, fe wnaeth Plaid Cymru ddod i sefyllfa lle roeddem ni yn gallu atal ein pleidlais ar y gyllideb honno drwy negodi, yn gyfrifol ac yn aeddfed, £112.8 miliwn, dwi'n meddwl, yn ychwanegol ar gyfer llywodraeth leol. Mi alluogodd hynny i'ch Llywodraeth chi sefydlu cyllideb. Roedd yn hynod o siomedig gen i ddoe fod yr ysbryd yna o negodi a chyfaddawdu ddim wedi cael ei wireddu gan eich plaid chi. Mi oedd Plaid Cymru wedi dod â chynnig gwerth £120 miliwn dros dair blynedd i'r bwrdd, a chafodd hwnna ei wrthod gan Lafur. Roedd hwnna ar gyfer yr anghenion dysgu ychwanegol dŷch chi'n sôn amdano fo. Dŷch chi wedi penderfynu nad ydych chi ddim eisiau mynd lawr y llwybr yna.
I fi, roedd ddoe yn ddiwrnod trist iawn i Gymru, lle mae'r ysbryd yna o geisio creu cydweithio er mwyn pobl Cymru—fe aeth hwnna drwy'r ffenestr ddoe, mae arnaf i ofn. Ond dwi yn gobeithio y gallwn ni ddychwelyd at sefyllfa lle dŷn ni'n rhoi pobl Cymru yn gyntaf ym mhopeth dŷn ni'n ei wneud.
Official English translation
Well, you may remember that, in your budget as the Labour Government, Plaid Cymru did come to a position where we could abstain on that budget by negotiating, responsibly and maturely, £112.8 million, I believe, in additional funding for local government. That enabled your Government to pass a budget. It was very disappointing for me yesterday that that spirit of compromise and negotiation wasn't realised by your party. Plaid Cymru did bring a proposal worth £120 million over three years to the table, and that was rejected by Labour. That was for ALN, as you mentioned. You've decided that you don't want to go down that route.
For me, yesterday was a very sad day for Wales, where that spirit of trying to create some kind of collaboration for the benefit of the people of Wales—that got thrown out of the window yesterday, unfortunately. But I do hope that we can return to a situation where we put the people of Wales first in everything that we do.
Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn yma ac am gyfle i esbonio ychydig bach am beth oedd yn y datganiad ysgrifenedig ddydd Llun. Yn hollol, mi ydyn ni am i'r targed o 20,000 yma gynnwys eiddo gwag uwchben siopau yn ein strydoedd mawr ni, a bydd hyn yn rhan o'r gwaith mae'r tasglu canol trefi yn mynd i fod yn edrych arno fo, wrth gwrs, a sut ydyn ni'n cyflymu'r broses i alluogi mwy o eiddo sydd yn wag ar hyn o bryd i ddod i mewn i'r stoc.
Dwi'n pwysleisio fy mod i'n meddwl ei fod o'n bwysig i fod yn hollol dryloyw ac, felly, dwi wedi dweud mai dim ond cartrefi fydd yn aros yn gartrefi cymdeithasol i gymunedau ac i deuluoedd fydd yn cael eu cyfrif fel rhan o'r 20,000. Rŵan, beth yn union fydd y canran rhwng y rhai newydd a'r rhai fydd yn dod drwy ddulliau eraill o ran eiddo gwag ac yn y blaen, allaf i ddim rhoi ffigwr i chi ar hynny yn union. Ond dwi hefyd, yn y datganiad yna ddydd Llun, wedi sôn am dai o dan arweiniad y gymuned, ac mi fyddwn i'n hoffi cynnwys tai sydd yn cael eu creu drwy grwpiau cymunedol—drwy'r hawl i brynu, er enghraifft—a'n bod ni'n cynnwys y tai yna hefyd o fewn y targed oherwydd maen nhw'n cynnig ateb cydnaws â chymunedau yn yr ardaloedd gwledig ac yn yr ardaloedd lle mae'r Gymraeg yn ffynnu.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that question and for an opportunity to explain some of what was contained within the written statement issued on Monday. You're exactly right, we want that target of 20,000 to include vacant properties above shops on our high streets, and this will be part of the work of the town centre taskforce, of course, and how we accelerate the process to allow more vacant properties to come into our housing stock.
I do emphasise that I think it's important to be entirely transparent and, therefore, I have said that only homes that will remain as social homes for communities and families will be counted as part of that 20,000 target. Now, what exactly the percentage will be between new builds and acquisitions in terms of vacant properties and so on, I can't give you an exact figure on that. But, also in that statement made on Monday, I have spoken of community-led housing and I would like to include housing that's created through community groups—through the community right to buy, for example—and that we also include those within the target because they do provide a solution that is in keeping with those communities in rural areas and where the Welsh language prospers.
Diolch am y cwestiwn ac am eich diddordeb chi yn y maes penodol yma. Yn ystod 100 niwrnod cyntaf y Llywodraeth yma, mi fyddwn ni'n gwneud cyhoeddiad llawn ynglyn â phwrpas y tasglu ac aelodaeth y tasglu newydd rydyn ni wrthi'n sefydlu. Wrth gwrs, y tasglu fydd yn edrych ar ei gylch gorchwyl yn benodol, felly, a dwi'n awyddus iawn i hynny ddigwydd, yn hytrach nag ein bod ni, fel Llywodraeth, yn gosod rhyw fath o feini prawf. Y bobl yn y tasglu yna, yn ymgynghori efo eraill, fydd yn gosod y cylch gorchwyl ar gyfer y gwaith. Ond mi fyddwn ni'n cymryd yn ganiataol, o fod wedi ymwneud â'r math yma o waith am flynyddoedd, y bydd edrych ar drethu busnes a sut gallwn ni wneud cynnal siop yng nghanol tref yn fwy atyniadol nag ydy hi i fod ar y cyrion mewn canolfan siopa, y byddai hwnna'n un maes, byddwn i'n meddwl, y byddan nhw'n edrych arno fo. Mae cynllunio hefyd a sut i gyflymu'r broses er mwyn trosi adeiladau gwag yng nghanol ein trefi ni. Ond hefyd, bydd yr awydd yma, mae'n siŵr, i edrych yn holistaidd ar ba wasanaethau cyhoeddus a allai ddod i mewn i ganol ein trefi ni a sut i gyflymu'r broses gynllunio o gwmpas hynny. Mae yna dasg fawr yna, ond mae'n dasg gyffrous, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen i gydweithio efo'r tasglu.
Official English translation
Thank you for that question and for your interest in this particular area. During this Government's first 100 days, we will be making a full announcement on the purpose of the new taskforce that we're currently establishing and its membership. Of course, it's the taskforce that will consider its specific remit, and I'm very eager for that to happen, rather than us, as a Government, setting out certain criteria. It's the people in that taskforce, in consultation with others, that will set the remit for that work. But I assume, having been involved in this sort of work for years, that looking at business rates and how we can make sustaining a shop in a town centre more attractive than being located in an out-of-town centre would be one area that they would look at, along with planning and how we can accelerate the process in order to convert vacant buildings in our town centres. But there's also this desire to look holistically at what public services can be brought into our town centres and how we can accelerate the planning process around that too. There's a great job of work to be done, but it's very exciting, and I look forward to working with the taskforce.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' yn cael ei adolygu yn barhaus i sicrhau ei fod o'n parhau yn effeithiol, yn berthnasol, a’i fod o'n ymateb i’r dystiolaeth sy’n dod i’r amlwg. Mae swyddogion yn adolygu canllawiau cynllunio ar hyn o bryd. Maen nhw’n gwneud hyn gan nodi pa agweddau y gall fod angen eu diweddaru yn y dyfodol i sicrhau bod y fframwaith cynllunio yn adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau y Llywodraeth Cymru yma.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. 'Planning Policy Wales' is kept under continual review to ensure that it remains effective, relevant and responsive to emerging evidence. Officials are currently reviewing planning guidance, and they are doing so to identify which aspects may need to be updated in future to ensure that the planning framework reflects the priorities of this Welsh Government.
Diolch am y cwestiwn, ac rwy'n falch ein bod ni'n cytuno bod angen edrych o ddifrif ar 'Cymru'r Dyfodol', 'Future Wales', sef y cynllun cenedlaethol, yr haen uchaf yna o ddatblygu a datblygiadau yng Nghymru. O dan hwnna, wrth gwrs, mae 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' yn gorwedd, felly rydym ni angen gwneud y gwaith ar y lefel uchel yna o gwmpas strategaeth ofodol genedlaethol, gan roi yn hwnna y blaenoriaethau cyfoes ar gyfer twf, seilwaith, ynni, trafnidiaeth a datblygu rhanbarthol. Felly, mae ganddo fo statws statudol, a dwi'n awyddus iawn—mae'r gwaith wedi dechrau i edrych ar yr haen uchaf yna—wedyn i weld beth sydd angen ei newid o ran y polisïau cynllunio, gan gynnwys, wrth gwrs, y polisi ynni a pholisi ynglŷn â thrydaneiddio a llinellau trydan newydd, a'r materion yna i gyd. Felly, gallaf eich sicrhau chi fod y gwaith yn digwydd ar hwnna.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question, and I'm pleased that we do agree that we need to look seriously at 'Future Wales', namely the national plan, the top-tier plan on developments in Wales. It's under that, of course, that 'Planning Policy Wales' lies. So, we need to do the work on that highest level around the national spatial strategy and to include in that the current priorities for growth, infrastructure and regional development and transport. So, it does have statutory status, and I'm very eager, as the work has started to look at that highest level, to then see what needs to be changed in terms of the planning policies, including energy policy, electrification and new electrical lines, and so forth. So, I can assure you that that work is happening.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Yn anffodus, fedraf i ddim sôn am ddatblygiadau penodol mewn etholaethau penodol. Mae Gweinidogion Cymru yn gyfrifol am wneud penderfyniadau mewn meysydd fel yna, a phwy a ŵyr efo'r mater penodol yma, felly fedraf i ddim sôn yn benodol. Ond rydych chi'n dod â phwynt pwysig ymlaen ynglŷn â sut mae'n polisïau cynllunio ni, ein strategaethau ni, yn edrych ar faterion i wneud efo canolfannau data, sy'n mynd yn ôl at y pwynt roedd James Evans yn ei wneud—yr angen i fod yn edrych eto ar y prif fframwaith datblygu cenedlaethol, 'Future Wales'. Mae angen ei ddiwygio fo. Mae hon yn un enghraifft o pam, ac felly mae'r gwaith yna yn digwydd. Yn ystod ein 100 niwrnod cyntaf ni, mi fydd yna gyhoeddiad penodol ynglŷn â'r broses sydd angen digwydd efo hwnna. Mae yna broses benodol; fedrwn ni ddim jest eistedd i lawr a'i newid o. Mae'n rhaid mynd drwy broses, ac mi fyddwn ni'n cyhoeddi mwy am hynny yn ystod y 100 niwrnod cyntaf.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I can't comment on specific developments in specific constituencies. Welsh Ministers are responsible for making decisions in those areas, and who knows with this particular issue, so I can't talk about that specifically. But you do bring forward an important point about how our planning policies and our strategies look at issues relating to data centres, which bring us back to the point made by James Evans, namely the need to look again at the main national development framework, 'Future Wales'. We do need to reform that. This is one example of why, and so that work is happening. During our first 100 days, there will be a specific announcement about the process that needs to happen with that. There is a specific process; we can't just sit down and change it. We have to go through a process, and we will be making an announcement about that during the first 100 days.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi'n cytuno efo chi—mae angen cyflymu'r broses gynllunio, yn enwedig yn y maes tai. Dydy o ddim yn dderbyniol ei bod hi'n cymryd blynyddoedd weithiau i ddatblygiadau ddwyn ffrwyth. Felly, mae hi'n fwriad gen i i gyhoeddi yn ystod y 100 niwrnod cyntaf y byddwn ni'n gwneud galwad am dystiolaeth ar gyfer diwygio'r drefn gynllunio yn y maes tai yn benodol, er mwyn ceisio cael pobl broffesiynol—pobl fel chi sydd wedi bod yn arwain cyngor ac sydd yn deall ar lawr gwlad beth ydy'r rhwystrau cynllunio hynny—i ddod â thystiolaeth ymlaen, fel ein bod ni'n gallu mynd ati o ddifrif i ddiwygio 'Polisi Cynllunio Cymru' ac i'w wneud o'n fwy pwrpasol ac yn fwy cyflym ar gyfer anghenion ein cymunedau ni.
Mae yna ddwy Ddeddf wedi cael eu pasio ar ddiwedd y Senedd ddiwethaf sydd yn dod â'r polisïau cynllunio ynghyd, a dwi'n meddwl bod hwnna yn ei hun yn mynd i fod yn help, ond dydy o ddim yn mynd hanner digon pell.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I do agree with you that we do need to accelerate the planning process, particularly in the area of housing. It's not acceptable that it takes years sometimes for developments to bear fruit. So, it is my intention to announce during the first 100 days that we will be making a call for evidence for reform of the planning system in the area of housing specifically, so that we can try to get professional people—people like you who have been council leaders and who understand the planning barriers at the grass roots—to bring evidence forward so that we can proceed to reform 'Planning Policy Wales', and to make it more fit for purpose and more swift in response to the needs of our communities.
There were two Acts that were passed at the end of the last Senedd that bring planning policies together, and I do think that that in itself is going to help issues, but it doesn't go halfway far enough.
Diolch yn fawr, ac mae hwn eto'n gwestiwn pwysig. Mae'r Lywodraeth yma eisiau ein gweld ni'n gallu mynd ymhellach nag ydyn ni ar hyn o bryd yn y maes yma, a rhoi mwy o hyblygrwydd i lywodraeth leol ddefnyddio caffael i gefnogi busnesau Cymru a chryfhau cadwyni cyflenwi lleol. Dydy hwn ddim yn fy mhortffolio i'n uniongyrchol, ond dwi wedi chwilio am wybodaeth amdano fo. Felly, gobeithio y medraf i ateb eich ail gwestiwn chi.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, and, again, this is an important question. This Government does want to go further than we currently go in this area, and to provide greater flexibility to local government to use procurement to support Welsh businesses and strengthen local supply chains. This isn't directly in my portfolio, but I have sought information about it. So, I hope I can respond to your supplementary question.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi am y cwestiwn atodol yna, ac mae'r Gweinidog perthnasol newydd gerdded i mewn i'r Siambr. [Torri ar draws.] O, ti ydy o. O, da iawn. Mae'r Gweinidog cyllid, felly, wedi clywed eich cais chi, a dwi'n deall, ar ôl holi am wybodaeth, fod yna ddatganiad polisi caffael newydd yn mynd i fod yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn adlewyrchu'r cynllun uchelgeisiol i gynyddu gwariant cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Mae pethau wedi gwella, ac roedd yna Ddeddf caffael 2023, a basiwyd yn y Senedd yma, sydd wedi'i gwneud hi'n haws i fusnesau bach a chanolig gystadlu am gyfleoedd, ac i Fusnes Cymru, sy'n cynnig cymorth wedi’i deilwra i fusnesau Cymru i'w helpu nhw i ehangu, i dyfu a chryfhau, ac i ddeall y prosesau caffael cymhleth sydd yna. Ond dwi'n gwybod bod y Gweinidog cyllid yn awyddus iawn, fel ydw i, i fynd llawer iawn pellach o fewn ein grymoedd ni yn y Senedd yma. Felly, diolch.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that supplementary question, and the relevant Minister has just walked into the Chamber. [Interruption.] Oh, it's you. Good. The finance Minister, rather, has heard your request, and, having sought information, I am given to understand that there will be a new procurement policy statement published to actually increase public expenditure in Wales. Things have improved, and there was the procurement Act 2023, passed in this Senedd, which has made it easier for SMEs to actually bid for opportunities, and for Business Wales, which provides tailored support for Welsh businesses to help them to expand, grow and strengthen, and to understand the complex procurement processes. But I do know that the Minister for finance is very eager, as am I, to go much further within our powers in this Senedd. So, thank you.
Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn yna ac am eich cefnogaeth chithau hefyd i gynyddu'r caffael cyhoeddus i fusnesau lleol. Mae rhywun yn gwybod bod yna waith i’w wneud yn y maes yma—gymaint o enghreifftiau lle dydy o ddim yn gweithio ar hyn o bryd. Fel dwi'n dweud, mae pethau wedi gwella ychydig, ond araf ydy pace y gwella yna ers pasio'r Ddeddf Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol a Chaffael Cyhoeddus (Cymru) yn 2023. Mae'r Ddeddf yna yn gosod dyletswydd ar awdurdodau contractio i wella llesiant economaidd cymdeithasol, amgylcheddol a diwylliannol drwy gaffael, gan gynnwys ystyried mynediad ar gyfer busnesau bach a chanolig, a hefyd gwaith teg yn cael sylw yn y Ddeddf yna.
Ond, wrth gwrs, mae yna le i fynd, fel rydych chi'n dweud. Dwi hefyd yn gobeithio y bydd y strategaeth bwyd newydd yn cyfarch rhan o hwn, oherwydd mae cynhyrchu bwyd yn lleol a chreu cadwyni cyflenwi lleol ar gyfer y sector cyhoeddus hefyd yn ffordd o atgyfnerthu busnesau lleol a’r sector amaethyddol ac yn y blaen. Felly, mae yna nifer o wahanol faterion medrith dod ynghyd yn fan hyn, gan gynnwys hefyd, wrth gwrs, y gwaith y bydd yr awdurdod ddatblygu cenedlaethol newydd yn gallu ei wneud i gefnogi busnesau er mwyn teimlo eu bod nhw'n cael mynediad at y contractau yma sydd yn cael eu cynnig.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that question, and for your support too in increasing public procurement for local businesses. Now, we know that there is work to be done in this area—there are so many examples of where it isn't currently working. As I say, things have improved a little, but the pace of that improvement has been slow since the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act was passed in 2023. That legislation does place a duty on contracting authorities to improve economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being through procurement, including considering access for SMEs, and fair work is addressed in the legislation too.
But, of course, there is some way to go, as you say. I also hope that the new food strategy will address some of these issues, because local food production and creating local supply chains for the public sector again is a way of strengthening local businesses and the agricultural sector and so on. So, there are a number of different issues that can coalesce here, including, of course, the work that the national development body will do to support businesses so that they feel that they can access these contracts that are offered.
Diolch yn fawr. Rydym ni eisoes yn cymryd camau drwy'r grant tai cymdeithasol a rhaglen gyfalaf llety trosiannol. Mi fydd hyn yn mynd i'r afael â digartrefedd, yn lleihau dibyniaeth ar lety dros dro ac yn gwneud yn siŵr bod gan bobl ledled Cymru fynediad at gartrefi o safon sy'n effeithlon o ran ynni. Rydym ni hefyd yn sefydlu Unnos i gyflymu'r broses o ddarparu tai cymdeithasol ar draws Cymru.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. We are already taking action through the social housing grant and the transitional accommodation capital programme. This will tackle homelessness, reduce reliance on temporary accommodation and ensure that people across Wales have access to quality homes that are energy efficient. We're also establishing Unnos to accelerate the delivery of social housing across Wales.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Dwi'n deall y pwynt ynglŷn â chael targedau blynyddol, ond yn aml mae yna waith yn gallu digwydd tua diwedd y cyfnod. Felly, fuasai roi targedau blynyddol rigid mewn ffordd, felly, yr un un targed bob blwyddyn, ddim yn adlewyrchu realiti'r sefyllfa, achos dydy o ddim yn digwydd mewn ffordd linear. Yn aml iawn, mae'r broses yn cychwyn ac mae'r cyflymder yn digwydd tua diwedd y cyfnod. Ond mi wnaf i edrych i weld pa mor dryloyw—. Dwi eisiau bod yn dryloyw, a dwi am roi cymaint o wybodaeth i chi ag sy’n bosib. Dwi’n mynd i fod yn gofyn rŵan i fod yn rhan weithredol o rai o’r cyfarfodydd yma sydd yn digwydd efo’r gweision sifil imi gael deall yn union beth sydd yn mynd ymlaen.
Ac o ran y cymdeithasau tai yn dod â hen stoc i fyny i bwrpas, mae yna grant arall ar gyfer hwnna, yr optimised retrofit scheme, sydd yn llwyddiannus iawn yn gwella cyflwr ein tai cymdeithasol ni. Mae eisiau cyflymu hynny, ac mae eisiau hefyd gweld y stoc yn y sector preifat yn gallu symud ymlaen hefyd, fel bod ansawdd ein tai ni ym mhob man ac ar draws pob deiliadaeth yn gwella.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I do understand the point about having annual targets, but often work can happen towards the end of the period. So, setting rigid annual targets, therefore, the same target every year, wouldn't reflect the reality of the situation, because it doesn't happen in a linear way. Often, the process starts and it accelerates towards the end of the period. But I will look to see how transparent—. I want to be transparent, and I want to provide you with as much information as possible. I'm going to be asking to have an operational role in some of the meetings that are happening with civil servants for me to understand exactly what's going on.
And in terms of the housing associations bringing old stock up to standard, there is another grant available for that, the optimised retrofit scheme, which is very successful in terms of improving the condition of our social housing. We need to accelerate that, and we also need to see the private sector stock progressing as well, so that the quality of our housing everywhere and across all tenacies improves.
Diolch yn fawr. Mae hwnna’n cario ymlaen yn daclus iawn o’r ateb diwethaf yna, achos mae yna gynnydd yn cael ei wneud, ac, yn sicr, yn ein maniffesto ni, byddwch chi'n cofio bod sefydlu rhaglen ôl-osod sydd yn niwtral o ran deiliadaeth yn hollbwysig. Felly, gobeithio bod hynny'n arwain at ail gwestiwn—dwi'n anghofio bod yna ail gwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. That takes us on very neatly from that previous response, because progress is being made, and, certainly, in our manifesto, you will recall that establishing a tenure-neutral retrofit programme was a crucial part of that. So, I hope that that will lead to a supplementary question—I forget that there's a supplementary question.
Diolch yn fawr iawn. Mae yna nifer o resymau, onid oes, pam mae hi’n bwysig inni fod yn gwella cyflwr ein tai ni. Un rheswm ydy er mwyn eu datgarboneiddio nhw er mwyn ein bod ni yng Nghymru yn cyfrannu llai drwy ein tai ni tuag at newid hinsawdd. Mae tai yn cyfrannu 11 y cant o allyriadau carbon yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, a dwi'n awyddus iawn i weld hynna yn gostwng, ac mae cael cynllun i datgarboneiddio tai yn hollbwysig. Ond mae manteision ynglŷn â biliau, costau biliau yn dod i lawr oherwydd ein bod ni'n gwneud ein tai yn fwy ynni effeithiol—mae'n bwysig i ni edrych ar hynny—ac mae hefyd tlodi tanwydd yn broblem yng Nghymru, so mae o'n mynd i fod yn ein helpu ni i daclo tlodi. Ond hefyd mae'r effaith ar iechyd yn hollbwysig, a dwi yn cael trafodaethau efo'r Dirprwy Weinidog ar waith ataliol, oherwydd, i fi, mae tai yn hollol ganolog i wella iechyd pobl, ac mi fedrwn ni wella deilliannau iechyd ein gwlad ni drwy roi ffocws clir ar wella cyflwr ein tai ni. Dwi'n mynd dydd Iau i weld—tŷ cymdeithasol ydy o—sut mae'r cynlluniau gwella wedi helpu teulu penodol yn y fanna, ac mi fyddaf i'n gwneud mwy o gyhoeddiadau ynglŷn â'r maes penodol yma hefyd yn y 100 diwrnod cyntaf.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. There are a number of reasons why it's important that we improve the standard of our housing. One is to decarbonise so that we in Wales contribute less to climate change through our housing sector. Housing contributes around 11 per cent of carbon emissions in Wales, and I am very eager to see that reduced, and having a plan to decarbonise homes is very important. But there are benefits in terms of reducing bills as a result of making our homes more energy efficient—it's important that we consider that—and fuel poverty is also an issue in Wales, and it'll help us tackle poverty more generally. But also there is the impact on health, which is crucially important, and I am having discussions with the Deputy Minister in relation to preventative work, because, for me, housing is central to improving people's health, and we can improve health outcomes for our nation by having a clear focus on improving our housing standards. I will be going on Thursday to see—it's social housing—how retrofit programmes have helped a particular family there, and I'll be making further announcements on this specific area in our first 100 days.
Diolch yn fawr. Mi wnes i drafod yr adolygiad penodol yma ar y fformiwla gyllido efo'r is-grŵp cyllid ar 8 Gorffennaf. Yr is-grŵp cyllid ydy'r is-grŵp o dan y WLGA sydd yn ymdrin â'r materion yma.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I discussed this particular review of the funding formula with the finance sub-group on 8 July. The finance sub-group is the sub-group of the WLGA dealing with these issues.
Gwnaf. Gwnaf i ymrwymo i weithio nid yn unig efo cynghorau gwledig, ond efo cynghorau ar draws Cymru—cynghorau trefol hefyd, oherwydd dwi yn hollol glir mai gwaith rydym ni'n ei wneud efo'n gilydd ydy hwn. Fel rydych chi'n sôn, mae'r agwedd wledig yn un bwysig, ond mae amddifadedd yn bwysig hefyd, ac, wrth gwrs, mae amddifadedd yn digwydd hefyd mewn ardaloedd gwledig.
Pwrpas yr adolygiad ydy ceisio gweld a oes angen newid, ac, os ydym ni'n mynd i newid, fod hynny'n adlewyrchu'n deg yr anghenion ar draws Cymru mewn gwahanol feysydd. Mae'r gwaith wedi dechrau ac, hyd yma, mae arweinwyr cyngor wedi bod yn rhoi mewnbwn adeiladol iawn i mewn i'r gwaith, ac mi fyddwn ni'n para efo'r gwaith. Mi fyddwn ni'n comisiynu adolygiad allanol i wneud yn siŵr bod y dystiolaeth yn gywir a bod y gwaith yn digwydd mewn ffordd sydd yn dryloyw ac i bawb gael deall beth sydd yn mynd ymlaen. Felly, dwi'n edrych ymlaen at weld ffrwyth y gwaith yna hefyd. Byddan nhw'n edrych ar brofiadau mewn gwledydd eraill—yn ogystal â rhoi ffocws ar Gymru, byddan nhw'n edrych i weld sut mae fformiwlâu dosbarthu yn gweithio mewn gwledydd eraill. Diolch.
Official English translation
I will. I will commit to work not only with the rural councils, but with councils across Wales—urban councils too, because I am entirely clear that this is work that should be undertaken collaboratively. As you mentioned, the rural aspect is important, but deprivation is also important, and there is, of course, deprivation in rural areas too.
Now, the purpose of the review is to decide whether change is needed, and, if we are to make changes, that that fairly reflects needs across Wales in different areas. The work has commenced, and, to date, the council leaders have been providing very constructive input to that work, and we will continue with that work. We will be commissioning an external review in order to ensure that the evidence is accurate and that the work is happening in a way that is transparent, and that everyone can understand what is happening. So, I look forward to seeing that bear fruit too. They will be looking at experiences in other countries—as well as focusing on Wales, they will look to see how distribution formulas work in different countries. Thank you.
WelshCabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Diolch yn fawr. Mae'r tân bellach dan reolaeth, a diolch i ymdrechion Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru a'r holl bartneriaid. Mae hyn yn ein hatgoffa ni o fygythiad newid hinsawdd a'r angen i bob gwasanaeth cyhoeddus addasu i hynny.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. The fire is under control now, thanks to the efforts of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and all of the partners. This reminds us of the climate change threat and the need for all public services to adapt to that.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi am ddod â'r mater yma gerbron y Senedd. Mae rhywun yn meddwl am y bobl gafodd eu heffeithio gan y tân yma. Dwi ond yn gallu dychmygu gymaint o ofn roedden nhw'n byw ynddo fo yn ystod y cyfnod yna pan oedd y fflamau yn rhuo ar y mynydd ym Mhenmaenmawr, ardal dwi'n gyfarwydd iawn â hi. Mi fu'n rhaid i 36 o aelwydydd adael eu cartrefi yn ystod y gwaith diffodd y tân, ond yn lwcus mi oedd modd iddyn nhw fynd yn ôl adref nos Lun. Mi wnaeth cyngor Conwy ddarparu llety dros dro i'r rhai oedd ei angen, felly rydyn ni'n hynod o ddiolchgar i gyngor Conwy am eu gwaith nhw ac yn ddiolchgar i Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, ond wrth gwrs i'r gwasanaeth tân. Mae ymladd tanau gwyllt yn waith hynod o anodd a pheryglus, ac mae eisiau talu teyrnged i holl ddiffoddwyr tân y gogledd a'r asiantaethau partner sydd wedi gweithredu mor gyflym i ymateb i'r digwyddiad yma a chadw pobl a chymunedau yn ddiogel.
Rydych chi'n holi pa gefnogaeth gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei rhoi. Wel, wrth gwrs, rydyn ni'n gweithio efo'r partneriaid lleol. Y cyngor sir ydy'r lle cyntaf, debyg, i fod yn deall beth ydy'r problemau sydd efallai'n parhau rŵan oherwydd beth sydd wedi digwydd, a hefyd Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ynglŷn ag adfer y tir ac unrhyw waith sydd angen digwydd o ran yr ochr natur o bethau. Ond rydych chi'n iawn, mae hwn yn ein dychryn ni ac yn gwneud i ni sylweddoli difrifoldeb y sefyllfa o ran yr hinsawdd, yr argyfwng natur a hinsawdd rydyn ni'n wynebu yma. Dwi ddim yn meddwl y medrith neb ddechrau bod yn gwadu bod hwnna yn real iawn. Rhwng y tanau yma, rhwng y gwres llethol yma, sydd hefyd yn effeithio pobl mewn ffyrdd sydd yn negyddol iawn, mae'n rhaid i ni yn wirioneddol daclo'r argyfwng sydd yn ein hwynebu ni yng Nghymru.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for bringing this issue forward before the Senedd. One thinks about the people who were affected by this fire. I can only imagine how frightened they must have been during that period when the flames were roaring on the mountain in Penmaenmawr, an area I've very familiar with. Thirty-six households had to flee their homes during the work of putting out the fire, but luckily they could return home on Monday evening. Conwy council provided temporary accommodation for those who needed it, so we are very grateful to Conwy council for their work and very grateful to Natural Resources Wales, and, of course, to the fire service. Fighting wildfires is very difficult and dangerous work, and we need to pay tribute to all the firefighters in north Wales and the partner agencies who responded so quickly to this event and kept communities and people safe.
You asked what support the Welsh Government can provide. Well, of course, we are working with local partners. The county council is in all likelihood the first port of call in terms of understanding the problems that may continue now because of what's happened, and also NRW in terms of restoring the land and any work that needs to happen on the nature side of things. But you're right, this is shocking and makes us realise the severity of the situation in terms of the climate, the nature emergency and climate emergency that we're facing here. I don't think anybody could start to deny that that's very real. Between these fires and this incredible heat that we've had, which is also affecting people in very negative ways, we genuinely have to tackle this crisis facing us in Wales.
Dwi'n falch eich bod chi yn poeni yr un fath â fi am y twf mewn tanau gwyllt, nid yn unig yn eich etholaeth chi ond ar draws Cymru. Mae'r Cabinet, y Llywodraeth, yr wythnos yma wedi bod yn trafod ein cynllun carbon ni fel Llywodraeth, sut ydyn ni yng Nghymru yn mynd i fod yn cyfrannu tuag at y dasg anferth, nid yn unig o daclo newid hinsawdd ond o liniaru ac addasu, fel rydych chi'n sôn. Dwi ddim yn siŵr beth mae'r Alban wedi'i wneud yn union, ond yn sicr mi fyddwn ni'n edrych ar hynny.
Official English translation
I am pleased that you, like me, are concerned about the growth in the number of wildfires, not only in your constituency but across the whole of Wales. The Cabinet, the Government, this week have been discussing our carbon plan as a Government, how we in Wales will contribute to the huge task of not only of tackling climate change, but also mitigating and adapting to it, as you've mentioned. I'm not sure exactly what Scotland has done, but we will certainly look at that.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Janet, a dwi'n cyd-fynd efo chi. Y teulu yna lle roedd y tân yn agos iawn at eu cartref nhw, roedd hynny yn ddychrynllyd iawn, onid oedd? Mae'n rhy gynnar i wybod ar hyn o bryd beth wnaeth achosi'r tân penodol yma ar y mynydd ym Mhenmaenmawr. Fel arfer, mae'r tanau yma yn digwydd yn gynt yn y flwyddyn, onid ydyn? Maen nhw'n digwydd rhwng mis Mawrth a mis Mai, ond maen nhw yn gynyddol yn digwydd yn yr haf, sydd eto yn arwydd o'r newid hinsawdd sydd yn digwydd. Ac mi ydych chi'n iawn, dwi'n meddwl bod eisiau i ni gael y neges yna allan, bod eisiau i bobl fod yn hynod ofalus wrth ddefnyddio barbeciws, wrth daflu pennau sigaréts, wrth adael gwydr ar ôl—mae gwydr yn gallu tanio pan fydd haul arno fo, ac yn gallu lledaenu ar draws y llystyfiant sydd yn sych iawn yr adeg yma o'r flwyddyn, a dydyn ni ddim wedi cael fawr ddim glaw. Felly, fel roeddwn i'n dweud, mae eisiau i ni wirioneddol feddwl ein bod ni'n blaenoriaethu taclo'r newid hinsawdd, a'n bod ni'n meddwl am y lliniaru a'r addasu sydd angen digwydd i ni i gyd yn ein bywydau ni. O ran y gefnogaeth a'r cymorth ariannol, mi fydd swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru yn siarad efo'r asiantaethau i gyd rŵan i weld lle'n union y medrwn ni fod yn helpu, beth yn union ydy goblygiadau y tân sydd wedi digwydd.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Janet, and I do agree with you. That family there, where the fire was very close to their home, that was very frightening, wasn't it? It's too early to know at present what caused this specific fire on the mountain in Penmaenmawr. Usually these fires happen earlier in the year, don't they? They happen between March and May, but they're increasingly happening in the summer now, which is also an indication of the climate change that is happening. And you're right, I think that we do need to get that messaging out that people need to be very careful when using barbecues, when discarding cigarette butts and when leaving glass behind—glass can cause a fire when there is sunlight on it, and that can spread across the vegetation, which is very dry at this time of year, and we've had very little rain. So, as I said, we really do need to think about prioritising tackling climate change, and think about the mitigation measures and the adaptations that we need to undertake in all our lives. In terms of the support and financial support, Welsh Government officials will be talking to all the agencies now to see exactly where we can help and what exactly the implications of the fire are.
WelshCabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd, a diolch yn fawr iawn i Mair Rowlands am ddod â'r ddadl bwysig yma i'r Senedd. Mae'n fater sy'n bwysig nid yn unig i gymunedau ym Mangor Conwy Môn, ond yn fater pwysig ar draws Cymru gyfan, ac mae Peredur Owen Griffiths wedi tynnu'n sylw ni at y sefyllfa yng Nghasnewydd. Diolch hefyd i Elfed am sôn yn benodol am gymunedau gwledig sydd hefyd yn wynebu rhwystrau. Mae'r stryd fawr a chael stryd fawr fywiog yn galon i'n cymunedau ni ac i'n heconomïau lleol ni. Mae'r Llywodraeth yma wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n parhau i fod yn llefydd gwydn, yn llefydd amrywiol ac yn llefydd cynaliadwy i'r dyfodol.
Dwi'n gyfarwydd iawn efo stryd fawr Bangor ac efo dinas Bangor. Roedd yn fraint imi fod yn cynrychioli'r ddinas yma yn y Senedd ddiwethaf. Mae'n braf gweld Mair yn parhau i ymorol dros Fangor a dros y stryd fawr. Dŷn ni'n gwybod bod cyflwr rhannau o'r stryd fawr a'r defnydd ohonyn nhw yn peri pryder gweladwy i bobl leol. Mae'r sefyllfa ym Mangor yn adlewyrchu newidiadau strwythurol ehangach yn y ffordd y mae pobl yn siopa, yn gweithio ac yn defnyddio canol ein trefi ni.
Ar draws Bangor Conwy Môn, dŷn ni'n gweld pwysau tebyg, ac ar draws Cymru yn ogystal: eiddo gwag, newid o ran faint sy'n ymweld â'r stryd fawr, pobl yn cael eu denu i'r canolfannau tu allan i'r canolfannau trefol traddodiadol, a'r angen i ddod ag adeiladau yn ôl i ddefnydd. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn rhan o'r darlun cyfarwydd i ni ar draws Cymru. Ond mae yna gyfleoedd clir hefyd, ac mae'n rhaid inni fynd ati i ailddiffinio canol ein trefi ni ar gyfer y dyfodol. Dim ond os byddan nhw'n esblygu y bydd canol ein trefi ni'n llwyddo, ac rydyn ni yn y Llywodraeth yma'n benderfynol o gefnogi'r newid hwnnw.
Mae yna rywfaint o waith adfywio i'w weld ar draws Cymru ac ar draws rhanbarth Bangor Conwy Môn. Mae gweithio efo awdurdodau lleol a phartneriaid i gyflawni newid gwirioneddol ar lawr gwlad yn dechrau digwydd mewn sawl lle. Er gwaetha'r problemau ym Mangor, mae yna gamau wedi cael eu cymryd i dargedu mynd i'r afael ag eiddo gwag a chefnogi'r gwaith o ailddefnyddio adeiladau allweddol. Mae hyn yn digwydd ochr yn ochr â gwaith i gryfhau'r cysylltiadau rhwng canol y ddinas, y brifysgol, Pontio a Storiel, er mwyn cynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr. Ac ar draws Conwy, mae yna waith yn digwydd ar brosiectau fel safle Plas yn Dre yn Llanrwst i ddatgloi safle canol tref allweddol ar gyfer ei ddatblygu yn y dyfodol. Mae hynny'n cynnwys tai a defnydd masnachol, gan ddangos sut mae mynd ati i adfywio mewn trefi gwledig a chanolfannau mwy fel ei gilydd.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you very much to Mair Rowlands for bringing this important debate to the Senedd. It's an issue that's important not only to communities in Bangor Conwy Môn, but it's an important issue across the whole of Wales, as Peredur Owen Griffiths has highlighted in terms of the situation in Newport. Thank you also to Elfed for giving specific attention to rural communities that are also facing barriers. The high street and having a vibrant high street is at the heart of our communities and our local economies. This Government is committed to ensuring that they continue to be resilient, diverse and sustainable places for the future.
I am very familiar with Bangor high street and with the city of Bangor. It was a privilege to represent that city in the last Senedd. It's good to see Mair continuing to advocate for Bangor and for the high street there. We know that the state of parts of the high street and the use of the high street are a visible cause of concern for local people. The situation in Bangor reflects structural changes more broadly in the way people shop, work and use our town centres.
Across Bangor Conwy Môn, we see similar pressures, and the same is true across the whole of Wales too: vacant properties, a change in the numbers actually visiting the high street, people being attracted to out-of-town shopping centres beyond the traditional town centres, and the need to bring buildings back into use. These are all things that we have become familiar with across Wales. But there are clear opportunities too, and we must redefine our town centres for the future. It's only if they evolve that town centres will succeed, and we in this Government are determined to support that change.
There is some regeneration work to be seen across Wales and across the Bangor Conwy Môn constituency. Working with local authorities and partners to deliver real change on the ground is starting to happen in a number of different areas. Despite the problems in Bangor, steps have been taken to target vacant properties and to support the work of reusing key buildings. This is happening alongside the work to strengthen the links between the town centre, the university, Pontio and Storiel, in order to increase the number of visitors. And across Conwy, there is work happening on projects such as the Plas yn Dre site in Llanrwst in order to unlock a key town-centre site for development in the future. That includes housing and commercial developments, showing how we can regenerate rural towns and larger centres alike.
Mewn ardaloedd eraill ar draws y rhanbarth, dŷn ni'n gweld lle mae gwaith adfywio yn creu canlyniadau cadarnhaol, mewn trefi fel Bethesda a Blaenau Ffestiniog. Mae buddsoddiad wedi cefnogi gwaith adfywio o dan arweiniad y gymuned, lle mae partneriaid lleol wedi perchnogi eiddo canol trefi a'u defnyddio nhw'n llwyddiannus unwaith eto fel busnesau cymunedol a gwasanaethau. Mae hyn yn cynnwys gwaith sy'n digwydd efo sefydliadau fel Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog, Antur Stiniog ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog a Tabernacl (Bethesda) Cyf ym Methesda, lle mae cymorth Llywodraeth Cymru wedi helpu mewn blynyddoedd diweddar i sbarduno gweithgarwch economaidd ehangach ac adfywio dros y tymor hwy.
Ar Ynys Môn, mae'r gefnogaeth yn helpu i gyflwyno prosiectau mewn llefydd fel Caergybi sy'n canolbwyntio ar adfywio, gweithgarwch economaidd a gwella'r arlwy yng nghanol y dre, ochr yn ochr â chynlluniau fel terfynfa forol Amlwch, sy'n gwneud defnydd o safleoedd allweddol unwaith eto ac yn cefnogi swyddi. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu dull sy'n seiliedig ar leoedd, gan weithio efo partneriaid lleol i ymateb i'r heriau a'r cyfleoedd penodol ymhob ardal, a sicrhau bod gwaith adfywio yn cael ei wreiddio yn anghenion cymunedau lleol. Mae dull o greu canolfannau trefi bywiog defnydd cymysg sy'n diwallu anghenion cymunedau rŵan ac yn y dyfodol yn hollbwysig i'r Llywodraeth yma.
Ond, wrth gwrs, rhan o'r darlun ydy hynny. Dŷch chi i gyd yn gyfarwydd iawn â'r ochr arall sydd i bethau hefyd. Felly, mae'n hanfodol ein bod ni'n parhau i gefnogi canol trefi i barhau i fod yn berthnasol i sut mae pobl yn byw. Mae hynny'n golygu dod â mwy o gartrefi i ganol trefi, gwneud gwell defnydd o ofodau uwchben siopau a sicrhau bod gwasanaethau, busnesau a gweithgarwch cymunedol yn datblygu yng nghanol ein trefi ni. Ac mae hynny'n cydnabod bod angen atebion gwahanol ar gyfer gwahanol lefydd, boed hynny'n cryfhau cysylltiadau mewn canolfannau mwy fel Bangor, neu ddatgloi cyfleoedd newydd mewn trefi llai a gwledig fel Llanrwst a'r rheini ar draws Ynys Môn.
Mae angen gwneud llawer iawn mwy. Dŷn ni i gyd yn gwybod hynny. Wrth edrych ymlaen, dwi yn benderfynol o wneud mwy i fynd i'r afael â'r heriau strwythurol sy'n wynebu'n strydoedd mawr. Mae hyn yn cynnwys diwygio ardrethi busnes, fel yr oedd yr Aelod yn holi, ac fel, dwi'n meddwl, yr oedd Mair hefyd yn sôn, yr angen i greu balans gwell o ran ardrethi busnes. Felly, mae'r gwaith yna wedi cychwyn i gefnogi busnesau'r strydoedd mawr yn well. Mae o'n cynnwys cefnogaeth barhaus i'r sector lletygarwch a'i gwneud hi'n haws i ddod ag adeiladau yn ôl i ddefnydd.
At ei gilydd, mae hyn i gyd yn golygu sicrhau bod canol trefi'n parhau i fod yn llefydd deniadol i redeg busnes, i fuddsoddi ac i dreulio amser ynddyn nhw. Fel rhan o'r gwaith yma, dŷn ni wrthi'n sefydlu tasglu canol trefi fydd yn dod ag arbenigedd at ei gilydd i sbarduno atebion ymarferol a chyflymu'r gwaith cyflawni ar lawr gwlad. Mi fydd y tasglu'n canolbwyntio ar fynd i'r afael â'r rhwystrau allweddol i adfywio—ac ardrethi busnes, ie, ydy un o'r rhwystrau rheini, ond mae problemau cynllunio, problemau pan mae rhywun eisiau newid defnydd adeilad. Mae yna lot o rwystrau, ond dŷn ni'n benderfynol, drwy'r tasglu yma, i roi ffocws clir ar sut i ddatrys y problemau yna ac ar sut y gall canol ein trefi ni barhau i addasu ac ymateb i anghenion sy'n newid. Ac mae o'n golygu gweithio mewn ffyrdd sydd wedi'u cysylltu â'i gilydd yn well, tynnu partneriaid at ei gilydd yn well a chanolbwyntio ar weithredu, gan sicrhau ein bod ni nid yn unig yn cefnogi gweithgarwch yng nghanol ein trefi ni, ond hefyd yn creu'r amodau cywir ar gyfer newid hirdymor cynaliadwy.
Dŷn ni'n parhau i fod wedi ymrwymo i weithio mewn partneriaeth efo awdurdodau lleol, busnesau a chymunedau ar draws Bangor Conwy Môn i gefnogi'r gwaith o adfywio ein stryd fawr ac i wneud yr un math o beth, yn amlwg, ar draws Cymru.
Felly, er bod yr heriau yn rhai sylweddol, mae yna hefyd gyfleoedd clir i ail-greu, i ail-lunio, i ailddiffinio canol ein trefi ni i adlewyrchu yn well sut mae pobl yn byw, yn gweithio ac yn treulio eu hamser heddiw. Felly, drwy gydweithio parhaus a ffocws cryf ar gyflawni, mi fyddwn ni'n sicrhau y gall canol ein trefi ni addasu, denu gweithgarwch a ffynnu yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.
Felly, diolch yn fawr iawn i'r Aelod am gyflwyno'r ddadl bwysig yma. Dwi'n edrych ymlaen at fanylu ar nifer o'r materion dwi ddim ond wedi cyffwrdd â nhw heddiw, gan gynnwys dod ag adroddiad ar gynnydd efo sefydlu'r tasglu canol trefi o fewn can diwrnod cyntaf y Llywodraeth yma. Diolch.
Official English translation
In other areas across the region, we see where regeneration work is bringing about positive outcomes, in towns such as Bethesda and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Investment has supported regeneration work led by the community, where local partners have taken ownership of town-centre properties and used them successfully once again as community businesses and service providers. This includes work that is ongoing with organisations such as Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog, Antur Stiniog in Blaenau Ffestiniog and Tabernacle (Bethesda) Cyf in Bethesda, where Welsh Government support has assisted in recent years to engender economic activities more broadly and to regenerate over the longer term.
On Anglesey, the support is helping to introduce projects in places like Holyhead, where there is a focus on regeneration, economic activity and improving the offer in the town centre, along with plans such as the Amlwch marine terminal, which makes use of key sites once again and supports job creation. This does reflect an approach that is place based, working with local partners to respond to the challenges and opportunities in every area, and to ensure that regeneration work is rooted in the needs of local communities. An approach to creating vibrant mixed-use town centres that meet the needs of communities now and for the future is crucially important for this Government.
But, of course, that's just part of the picture. You're all very familiar with the other side of the coin too. Therefore, it is crucial that we continue to support our town centres to continue to be relevant to people's daily lives. That means bringing more homes into town centres, making better use of spaces above shops and ensuring that services, business and community activities are developed within our town centres. And that recognises that we need different solutions for different places, be that strengthening connections in larger centres like Bangor, or unlocking new opportunities in smaller rural towns like Llanrwst and those across Anglesey.
We do need to do far more. We all know that. In looking to the future, I am determined to do more to tackle the structural challenges facing our high streets. This includes reforming business rates, as the Member asked about, and, I think, as Mair mentioned, the need to create a better balance in terms of business rates. So, that work has commenced in order to support our high-street businesses more effectively. It includes ongoing support for the hospitality sector and making it easier to bring buildings back into use.
All taken together, this means ensuring that town centres continue to be attractive spaces to run businesses, to invest and to spend time in them. As part of this work, we are establishing a town-centre taskforce that will bring expertise together to find practical solutions and to accelerate delivery on the ground. The taskforce will focus on addressing the key barriers to regeneration—and business rates, yes, is one of those barriers, but there are issues in planning, issues when one wants to change the use of a building. There are a number of barriers in place, but we are determined, through this taskforce, to give a clear focus on resolving those issues and on how our town centres can continue to adapt and evolve and respond to changing needs and demands. And it does mean working in ways that are better connected, drawing partners together more effectively and focusing on action, in order to ensure that we not only support activities in our town centres, but also create the right conditions for long-term sustainable change.
We continue to be committed to working in partnership with local authorities, businesses and communities across Bangor Conwy Môn in order to support the regeneration work on our high streets and to take the same approach, obviously, across Wales.
So, although the challenges are great, there are also clear opportunities to reconstruct, redesign and redefine our town centres to better reflect how people live, work and spend their time today. So, through ongoing collaboration and a clear focus on delivery, we will ensure that our town centres can adapt, attract activity and prosper in the coming years.
So, thank you very much to the Member for bringing forward this important debate. I look forward to focusing on many of the issues that I've only just touched upon today, including bringing a report on progress on the establishment of the town-centre taskforce within the first 100 days of this Government. Thank you.