David Ruffley

David Ruffley has called a third high level meeting on Bury St Edmunds bus services to be held at St Edmundsbury Borough Council offices in Western Way on Friday, 22 July at 3.30 p.m. which he will chair. The following people have been invited to attend:

Keith Andrews, Managing Director, First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd;

Jerry Massey, Corporate Director, Economy & Environment, St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC);

Councillor Terry Clements, SEBC Portfolio Holder;

Town Councillor Alan Turner;

Linda Sherer, Clerk to Bury St Edmunds Town Council;

After leaving the House of Commons chamber this afternoon David Ruffley said:

'Gordon Brown did not mention rural areas or the countryside once. This proves the urban bias of this Government.

We have seen astronomical rises in house prices in Suffolk. Gordon Brown has caused misery for stamp duty payers by raising stamp duty four times since 1997. His announcement today won't do much to repair the damage he has already caused.

After today's Budget, Suffolk motorists will still know they pay the highest duty in the whole of Europe.

David Ruffley MP has this week exposed a shocking fall in the number of NHS Mental Health beds in Suffolk in recent years.

Following private and anonymous briefings from local Suffolk professionals involved in the mental health sector, David Ruffley MP raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Health in a written Commons question.

The reply from the Minister to Mr Ruffley's questioning, published in the House of Commons Hansard, shows the level of crisis that now exists in the local Mental Health sector.

David Ruffley said:

David Ruffley MP warned this week that local councils, including St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk, were being undermined, with more and more of their authority being transferred to unelected regional assemblies. Despite the rejection of regional government by four fifths of the voting public in the North East referendum in November, John Prescott has increased the powers of the unelected regional assemblies, including the East of England Regional Assembly.

Signing a motion in Parliament calling for the abolition of the unelected regional assemblies, David said:

In view of the referendums that are due to take place within the next few weeks in both France and the Netherlands, David Ruffley has launched his own online referendum on the proposed European Constitution. The latest polling suggests the voting will be evenly split in both countries and will be a close run thing.

David said:

David Ruffley will visit Riverwalk School in South Close, Bury St Edmunds on Friday, 10 June to support the 'Send my Friend to School' Global Campaign for Education and to help the children work on their 'buddies' for submission to the forthcoming G8 meeting. Riverwalk School is a special school catering for children with severe disabilities.

David Ruffley has been invited to join the panel of VIPs at King Edward VI School on the afternoon of Friday, 10 June for the culmination of the 'Promoting Positive Behaviour' project.

This project is a joint venture between the three upper schools in Bury St Edmunds- King Edward VI, County Upper and St Benedict's. Over five hundred year 10 students will be taking part during the course of the week.

Some of the aims of the project are:

David Ruffley has called a meeting on Friday, 10 June to discuss the future of Stowmarket Football Club. The meeting will be held at the Club and attended by representatives of Mid Suffolk District Council, Stowmarket Football Club and the Stowmarket Church Charity.

David Ruffley will receive a petition from residents on the site of a proposed residential development to the rear of Regent Street, Stowmarket on Friday, 10 June at 5.30 p.m.

David Ruffley will then be sending the petition of 300 signatures to David Ellis, Head of Planning at Mid Suffolk District Council, together with a further supporting letter from himself. David previously raised this matter with David Ellis in May when local residents first expressed their concern about the application.

In the wake of 'No' votes in both France and the Netherlands local people have had their say on the proposed EU constitution.

In an online survey conducted by David Ruffley MP on his interactive website telldavidruffley.com local people delivered a resounding 'No' to plans for a new EU constitution and called overwhelmingly for powers to be brought back to this country.