David Ruffley will be meeting Inspector Jonathan Brighton, Sector Commander of Stowmarket division, on Friday, 12 September to discuss local law and order issues in the Stowmarket area.

Law and order is high on David's agenda and an issue on which he receives a large mailbag throughout the year. One of the main concerns of his Stowmarket constituents at present is the anti-social behaviour which takes place in Stowmarket town centre late at night on Fridays and Saturdays. Constituents tell him that the fear of crime deters them from venturing into town at these times.

David has raised this matter previously in correspondence with Inspector Brighton. A successful policy which was then introduced by the police put highly visible foot patrols in Stowmarket town centre at the times when people leave the night clubs to provide reassurance to the community and prevent incidents of disorder.

David has welcomed the zero-tolerance initiative which started last weekend in Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds to stamp out alcohol-fuelled violence. Extra officers have been brought in and shifts extended to provide sufficient officers on the streets to ensure people get home safely when the nightclubs close.

However, part of the disorder problem stems from the opening hours of the fast food shops in the town centre which exacerbates the situation. The shops act as a magnet when people leave the night clubs and disorder can result from the groups congregating there. David has raised the opening hours of these shops with Mid Suffolk District Council to try to resolve the problem and reduce the anxiety that people feel about going out.

David said: 'Our local police do an excellent job but their resources are often too stretched to enable them to respond immediately to every incident. This new month long initiative is excellent but we do not have the resources to keep this up indefinitely. I frequently lobby Government Ministers to provide extra funding for Suffolk Constabulary to enable them to provide an even better service to my constituents.

The problems that arise in the town centre concern me and I will be discussing the matter with Inspector Brighton to see what long term action we can take to make my constituents' feel safer in the town centre late at night.'