David Ruffley

David Ruffley is visiting the Bury St Edmunds office of Victim Support Suffolk on their 'Focus Day' on Friday, 14 November at 2.45 p.m. to raise awareness of the services they offer to his constituents. Their office is situated in the Risbygate Centre, 90 Risbygate Street. He will meet Mrs Maxine Kasicki, the Branch Chairman, Mrs Sue Thomson, the Branch Co-ordinator and volunteers.

David Ruffley is the guest speaker at the Stowmarket and District Chamber of Commerce lunchtime meeting on Friday, 14 November at Brown's Club in Stowmarket. He has been invited by Denis Barnard, the new Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

Concern is growing over future funding to keep rural village halls in good repair.

David Ruffley will be attending a meeting in the House of Commons on Wednesday 22 January to discuss the issue of capital and maintenance funding for village halls and community centres in rural areas.

The Community Fund has made grants totaling £32 million a year for the rebuilding of village halls since 1994 but that funding is now declining to £17 million. The Community Fund has been increasingly diverting its funds away from projects such as village halls.

David Ruffley MP and the Reverend Jonathan Ford are leading the campaign to make Bury St Edmunds a Fair Trade Town. David's Treasury Select Committee work in Parliament- where he cross examines the chiefs of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund- has led him to take this local campaigning role.

David is now lobbying St Edmundsbury Borough Council to go ahead with the initiative.

The cost of an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check will rise to £33 next April, after an increase from £12 to £29 last July.

David Ruffley said, 'The Government's decision to increase the fee charged by the Criminal Records Bureau for carrying out checks on job applicants is shocking. This will be the second rise in less than a year.

'These checks are mandatory for teachers and care workers. When we look at the reasons for this exorbitant rise, it is clear that it is a result of the Government's failure to manage this Agency.

David Ruffley MP today warned that new proposals by the Government would further reduce the voice of St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council and local people on planning, opening the door to green spaces and Green Belt being concreted over.