Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A allaf ddechrau trwy ddiolch i Sian Gwenllian am gyflwyno’r ddadl hon gerbron y Cynulliad y prynhawn yma? Dywedais i ar 4 Hydref fy mod yn edrych ymlaen at set fanwl o drafodaethau ar ddyfodol llywodraeth leol yn ystod diwedd y flwyddyn galendr hon. Bydd y trafodaethau hyn yn cynnwys awdurdodau lleol yn unigol ac ar y cyd, ynghyd â’u partneriaid pwysig. Mae’n rhaid i’r trafodaethau hyn hefyd gynnwys y pleidiau gwleidyddol, ac, yn arbennig, y pleidiau gwleidyddol yma yn y Cynulliad.

Rwy’n ddiolchgar i holl lefarwyr y pleidiau yma am eu parodrwydd i gymryd rhan mewn sgyrsiau ar ddyfodol llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru ers yr etholiad ym mis Mai ac rwyf yn dal yn awyddus i barhau’r trafodaethau hynny wrth i’r broses symud yn ei blaen.

Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae’r Llywodraeth wedi gosod gwelliant i’r cynnig gan Blaid Cymru. Mae’r gwahaniaethau a gyflwynwyd yn gymharol fach, ond maent yn egluro sefyllfa’r Llywodraeth.

Dirprwy Lywydd, in respect of point 1 of the motion, we are very happy indeed to sign up to the sentiments expressed in it. Mike Hedges, who I always listen to very carefully on the subject of local government, very well set out the wide agenda of vitally important services that local government provides and the important part it plays in the lives of every citizen in Wales: educating our children, looking after the elderly, disposing of our waste, lighting our streets and much, much more.

As far as the second leg of the motion is concerned, of course, we share the wish for ambitious local authorities—local authorities that are ambitious for their local populations and that are able, in a way that is reliable and general, to provide services of high quality. I think that matters have moved on since the Williams commission and that local authorities in Wales, often with significant assistance from outside, have taken very seriously the need for improvement. I’ve often said that I’ve been fortunate to become responsible for local government at a point when no local authority has its education services in special measures, no social services departments are in special measures, and no local authority requires external support for its corporate centre. I very regularly emphasise to local authority leaders the responsibilities they carry for ensuring the continuation of this position, and they, quite understandably, in return point out the improvements that they have been able to make in conditions of very considerable difficulty as a result of budgetary constraint.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I turn to the third part of the motion. Because of the way in which votes are to be sequenced this afternoon, the Government side will oppose the amendment moved by Janet Finch-Saunders, not so much for reasons of substance—although, as I said this afternoon, rurality is a significant factor in the way that the current formula works—but more for reasons of procedure. I noticed what Janet had to say about Monmouthshire and, of course, I was very glad to see Councillor Peter Fox, the Conservative leader of Monmouthshire County Council, saying that, despite having called strongly for the retention of Monmouthshire as a separate council, he strongly believed that a move to deeper regional and collaborative ways of working would allow efficiencies of scale and provide a sustainable future for many service areas. He said that in welcoming the statement, and I’m glad to be able to put his views on record here this afternoon.

The Government amendment to part 3 of the motion is set out in order for us to be able to clarify some—