David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP today spoke out against the proposed merger of local Police forces following the publication of the Government's Police Performance Assessments 2004/05 on 27th October.

The results show that whilst Suffolk has performed well in this assessment other nearby forces such as Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire have not. Cambridgeshire is also going through a period of restructuring following the Soham enquiry whilst Bedfordshire has an unsound financial outlook.

David said:

The Examination in Public (EiP) of the draft East of England Plan began today in Ely, Cambridgeshire and is due to last four months.

The draft Plan, developed by the East of England Regional Assembly includes controversial proposals on house building. The Plan includes proposals for a staggering 478,000 new homes across the region, including another 58,000 in Suffolk within the next 16 years.

David said:

David Ruffley MP has given his backing to local authorities across Suffolk who have been shortlisted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for recycling beacon status.

Beacon status is an award given to councils who demonstrate excellence and innovation in Local Government. Suffolk County Council is the lead body in Suffolk's bid to gain beacon status in the area of Waste and Recycling.

David Ruffley MP has today heavily criticised Government plans that could see taxes increased on homes with features such patios, conservatories, parking spaces or even scenic views.

David Ruffley MP has voiced his concern for Suffolk's elderly as The Local Government Association published their Pre-Budget submission today. It warns of a '£2.2 billion black hole in the funding for local government, equivalent to an increase of 10 per cent- or around £100- a year in council tax bills'.

David said:

David Ruffley MP will be visiting the St John's Centre in Bury St Edmunds at 1.00pm on Friday 28 October to view the building and plans for its future.

The centre currently has a number of uses including The Golden Days Club- a social club for the elderly, St John's Church Sunday School and the Just Traid Shop- open five days a week selling fair trade goods from developing countries.

David Ruffley will officially open the new Clydesdale Bank Financial Solutions Centre in Fornham All Saints at 11.00 a.m. on Friday, 28 October.

The new centre is at: Unit 8, Moseley's Barn, Fornham All Saints, Bury St Edmunds, IP28 6JY.

This new enterprise will be a regional centre for Clydesdale's agri-business, dealing with high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs. Please note it is not a retail bank branch.

David Ruffley MP has this week launched a new survey on his interactive website, www.telldavidruffley.com, seeking his constituents' views on the local bus service.

David said:

'I know from talking to local people and from the meetings I have held that problems remain with the local bus service. We also now have the additional problem of the dispute between First and the bus drivers.

'I want to know how local people feel about bus services in the area and how much improvement they feel still has to be made.'

David Ruffley MP has today again written to the Home Secretary to express his anger at Home Office plans to force Suffolk Constabulary to merge with the Norfolk and Cambridgeshire forces.

These plans were set out in a report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, commissioned by the Home Office, and published on Friday 16th September. The Home Secretary has today given his official backing by accepting the main recommendations of the report.

David said:

David Ruffley MP is concerned that Suffolk truancy figures are above the national average and higher than in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Norfolk.

Since 1997 the Department for Education and Skills has spent £885million nationally on initiatives to reduce absence, but despite this truancy has increased. The number of pupils truanting per year has now risen by 43 percent since Labour came to power.

David said: