David Ruffley is supporting Onehouse Parish Council in their bid for funding from the Countryside Agency to produce a Parish Plan which will set out a vision for the future of the village.

David said: 'I am delighted to support this initiative by Onehouse Parish Council. It is important that local residents have a say in the way the village develops. A major exercise in producing the Parish Plan will be a questionnaire sent to all Onehouse residents asking for their views. While we don't want to see overdevelopment in our rural areas, it is essential to plan for additional community resources to meet the needs of the future.'

Letter of support:

I would like to state my strong support as the local Member of Parliament for the funding bid by Onehouse Parish Council for their Parish Plan.

The residents of Onehouse have endorsed the completion of a Parish Plan wholeheartedly and see this as an excellent corporate exercise to take the village forward. I share this view.

My constituents in Onehouse want to retain their village identity whilst seeing a vision for the village's future development. In compiling the Parish Plan, residents will be consulted on current aspects of village life and how they want to see them developed including:

• Onehouse at present has no shop, post office or school;

• All schools are in Stowmarket 2 kilometres away along narrow dangerous roads thus necessitating the use of cars;

• There is little public transport;

• Village identity from outside is overshadowed by Stowmarket;

• Many of the facilities regarded as belonging to Stowmarket are actually situated within the parish;

• There is no affordable housing though quite a few young people want to return to the village.

The Parish Council Steering Group has already, in compiling the application form, looked closely at the many good aspects of the village but which could be made even better through the co-operation and the vision of all the parishioners.

I commend this project to you and hope you will look favourably at the application.