David Ruffley

BURY St Edmunds has been chosen to host an international Olympic team for the London 2012 Games.

Athletes from the Rwanda Olympic Team will take up residence in the town before making their final preparations at the West Suffolk Athletics Arena.

Beraho Ignace, president of the central African nation's Olympic Committee, made the announcement in a letter to Warren Smyth, manager of Abbeycroft Leisure, describing the decision to choose Bury as 'wonderful' and the beginning of a lasting legacy between the town and Rwanda.

A foul stench in Bury St Edmunds has been traced back to a sewage misconnection in Looms Lane.

For weeks, the town has been plagued with an unpleasant smell coming from the River Lark.

Anglian Water said last week that investigations revealed sewage was leaking into the river and, having already tried to alleviate the smell by pumping hydrogen peroxide into the water, it was now keeping its fingers crossed for rain.

ST EDMUNDSBURY Cathedral was packed with more than 250 successful students as they were awarded their graduation certificates on Saturday.

It was only the second time University Campus Suffolk (UCS) has held a formal ceremony to honour the efforts of students from Bury St Edmunds.

David Ruffley MP was a guest at the event as degree certificates were presented by professor Colin Riordan, vice chancellor of Essex University.

Mr Ruffley offered his congratulations to all this year's successful graduates.

THE uncertainty surrounding the future of some of Suffolk's middle schools yesterday divided opinions among head teachers.

One head teacher described the situation as 'utterly ridiculous'' claiming staff and pupils were being left in the dark over the future of their schools.

However, another applauded Suffolk County Council for its action, claiming it had been left with no choice due to the uncertainty over funding for its restructuring of the county's educational system.

David Ruffley MP has spoken of his mixed feelings over the fact that the number of incidents of domestic violence prosecutions in Suffolk has increased to its highest level since the CPS Suffolk began capturing records in 2005.

New House of Commons figures obtained during David's questioning of the Solicitor General, Vera Baird MP, show that the in 2009 916 individuals were prosecuted for offences of domestic violence, an increase of 115 on the previous year.

David Ruffley said:

David Ruffley MP has released new figures, obtained during his questioning of Phil Hope MP, Minister of State for Care Services, which reveal the number of hospital beds in the East of England to be at a 7 year low.

The response to David's question reveals that the number of hospital beds per 100,000 of the population stood at 213 in 2002/03, however, by 2008/09, the latest year for which figures are available, this figure had fallen to 148.5.

David Ruffley today said:

David Ruffley MP has hit out at the Government's investigation into the reorganisation of local government in Suffolk. New parliamentary figures, revealed during David's questioning of Gary Streeter MP, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, show that to date the Boundary Committee has spent £463,950 to date.

David Ruffley MP has welcomed Greene King's commitment to the Five Bells Public House in Hessett.

As the pub was running at a loss, Greene King plans had been made to close the Five Bells on Monday 18 January.

Following concerns raised by local residents this decision has now been temporarily reversed while a solution is sought.

David said:

'The Five Bells has a small but dedicated group of core customers. Sadly this is not sufficient for the pub to turn a profit and Greene King took the difficult decision to close the Five Bells on Monday 18 January 2010.

David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his concern at new House of Commons figures, revealed during his questioning of Huw Irranca-Davies, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which show that Anglian Water's charges are at their highest level since 1997-98.

The new figures, given in 2009-10 prices, also show that Anglian Water's customers pay more on average than neighbouring customers of Essex and Suffolk Water and Cambridge Water.

David Ruffley MP has this week complimented Suffolk County Council on their financial management over the last five years.

Since 2005 Suffolk County Council's council tax increases have been the lowest of all the county authorities in the East of England. The figures, given as the average year-on-year increase for band d properties, are in the notes below.

David said: