Chair, as set out in the reforming local government White Paper, there is a need to give clarity and simplicity to the partnership arrangements for Bridgend County Borough Council in particular. Together with ministerial colleagues, discussions have taken place with the council and with local health boards. As a result, and in order to focus discussions over the summer, we propose that the Cwm Taf Local Health Board boundary should be adjusted to include the Bridgend local authority area. Working with our partners in local government and health boards, the Government will discuss that proposition and develop a formal consultation document, which will be the subject of a further statement in the autumn.

Llywydd, knitting together our reform proposals will be a new set of relationships between the Welsh Government and local government, based on mutual respect, and a new relationship between local authorities and their citizens, which recognises people as valuable assets and which enables them to co-design the future of their services and their communities.

As announced by the First Minister in the legislative programme statement on 27 June, a local government Bill is to be introduced into the Assembly during 2018 to give effect to these reform proposals and bring forward other supporting provisions. In order to maximise the opportunity to continue the dialogue and discussions with local government and other partners, I intend that the Bill will be introduced towards the end of the second year of the legislative programme.

Llywydd, ymdrech ar y cyd yw diwygio llywodraeth leol. Bydd y mesurau rwyf wedi eu hamlinellu heddiw yn rhoi amrywiaeth o ddulliau a system a fydd yn galluogi llywodraeth leol i feithrin cadernid a bod yn fwy effeithiol drwy weithio’n well a gweithredu’n fwy hyblyg fel awdurdodau unigol. Rwy’n edrych ymlaen nawr at glywed barn yr Aelodau.