Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has called for more powers to be devolved to his region from Cardiff Bay.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government was speaking in the Welsh Parliament during questions to the Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans.
He said:
Many of my residents in North Wales think that they get a raw deal from a Cardiff Labour Government. You can understand why when you see some of the issues that my residents are facing. We've got public transport that is underfunded, with a metro, around £50 million committed to that, whilst hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds are committed to a metro system here in South Wales.
Nearly all road investment cancelled in North Wales, whereas we see hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds invested in roads here in the south again.
We have a health board that seems to be in and out of special measures and in special measures again, and hospitals struggling under the pressure. We know the Welsh Government gets £1.20 to spend on public services for every £1 spent in England. So, the lack of investment in my area seems to be a political choice to me.
It is clear to me that greater movement of power needs to be moved from Cardiff Bay to North Wales and to regions because true devolution, is not about hoarding powers in one place, but getting them as close to ordinary people as possible.
Mr Rowlands asked the Minister to commit to more power being devolved to the region and more input over regional budgets.
Rebecca Evans said they were currently working with partners to develop a delivery plan for the priorities identified in the regional framework for North Wales.
Mr Rowlands added:
It is extremely disappointing that North Wales keeps missing out on much-needed investment from the Labour-run Welsh Government.
My constituents continue to be let down and their needs ignored. Moving powers away from Cardiff up to North Wales would be a good move towards fixing this problem.
Sam Rowlands AS yn tynnu sylw at yr angen am fwy o fuddsoddiad yn y Gogledd
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros y Gogledd, wedi galw am ddatganoli mwy o bwerau i'w ranbarth o Fae Caerdydd.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol yr Wrthblaid yn siarad yn Senedd Cymru yn ystod cwestiynau i'r Gweinidog Cyllid, Rebecca Evans.
Meddai:
Mae llawer o drigolion y Gogledd yn meddwl eu bod yn cael eu trin yn wael gan Lywodraeth Lafur Caerdydd. Gallwch ddeall pam pan fyddwch chi’n gweld rhai o'r problemau y mae fy nhrigolion yn eu hwynebu. Mae gennym ni drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus sy'n cael ei thanariannu, gyda metro, tua £50 miliwn wedi'i ymrwymo i hynny, tra bod cannoedd a channoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd wedi ymrwymo i system metro yma yn y De.
Mae bron i bob buddsoddiad mewn ffyrdd wedi'i ganslo yn y Gogledd, tra gwelwn gannoedd a channoedd o filiynau o bunnoedd yn cael eu buddsoddi mewn ffyrdd yma yn y De eto.
Mae gennym fwrdd iechyd sydd i mewn ac allan o fesurau arbennig o hyd ac sydd mewn mesurau arbennig eto, ac ysbytai yn gwegian o dan y pwysau. Rydyn ni’n gwybod bod Llywodraeth Cymru’n cael £1.20 i'w wario ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus am bob £1 sy'n cael ei wario yn Lloegr. Felly, mae'n ymddangos i mi bod y diffyg buddsoddiad yn fy ardal i yn ddewis gwleidyddol.
Mae'n amlwg i mi fod angen symud mwy o rym o Fae Caerdydd i’r Gogledd ac i’r rhanbarthau oherwydd nad cronni pwerau mewn un lle yw datganoli gwirioneddol, ond sicrhau eu bod mor agos at bobl gyffredin â phosib.
Gofynnodd Mr Rowlands i'r Gweinidog ymrwymo i ddatganoli mwy o bŵer i'r rhanbarth a mwy o reolaeth dros gyllidebau rhanbarthol.
Dywedodd Rebecca Evans eu bod yn gweithio gyda phartneriaid ar hyn o bryd i ddatblygu cynllun cyflawni ar gyfer y blaenoriaethau a nodwyd yn y fframwaith rhanbarthol ar gyfer y Gogledd.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Mae'n hynod siomedig nad yw’r Gogledd yn derbyn buddsoddiad mawr ei angen gan Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru o hyd.
Mae fy etholwyr yn dal i gael eu siomi ac mae eu hanghenion yn cael eu hanwybyddu. Byddai symud pwerau o Gaerdydd i’r Gogledd yn gam gwerth chweil tuag at ddatrys y broblem hon.
