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:

'Gordon Brown and the Labour Government have developed a penchant for pushing up council tax bills after a general election. In the April prior to the 2001 General Election there was an increase in bills of 6.4 percent, but April 2002 and April 2003 saw much bigger increases of 8.3 percent and 12.9 percent respectively.

"A 10% increase will see the average annual bill for a Band D property go up to £1,377 in St Edmundsbury, £1,483 in Ipswich, £1,366 in Mid Suffolk and £1,335 nationally."

'This is typical Gordon Brown- keeping council taxes down as a General Election approaches and then hitting people with a massive increase once he is safely back in office.

'The Labour Government have twisted Council Tax into another stealth tax, dreamt up by bureaucrats in Whitehall, then they hide behind local councils when the bills arrive.

'My concern is for Suffolk's elderly who not only face the prospect of increasing heating bills this winter but now have the spectre of Council Tax hikes on the horizon.

'Shire counties, such as Suffolk, are being victimised by Central Government. It is the Government's fudged funding that sees Suffolk lose out as more money is poured into urban areas in the north of England. We need a fair share of funding for Suffolk once more.'