David Ruffley

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.

Local people have given their overwhelming support to the Education policies supported by David Ruffley MP.

David Ruffley MP this week released the results of his latest online survey, filled in by local people on his innovative interactive website www.telldavidruffley.com.

David Ruffley this week called for the abolition of the unelected Suffolk police Authority. This would be replaced by a, US style, directly elected local Police Commissioner for the County. This would allow local people to exert greater influence over the type of policing and police priorities in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, and to hold the Chief Constable to account.

David said:

David Ruffley MP this week welcomed new proposals to ease the burden of council tax on older people in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket. Under the plans, the next Conservative Government will introduce an automatic 50% discount on council tax bills for those aged 65 and over, up to a maximum of £500. A discount already exists for single person households and many disabled people.

Under the current Government, since 1997, council tax bills in Mid Suffolk and St Edmundsbury for a typical pensioner have risen by over 80 and 90% respectively.

David said:

Local MP highlights new 'stealth tax' on home extensions and soaring stamp duty

David Ruffley MP this week warned that home owners face a new Labour stealth tax- in the form of soaring fees for planning applications. Proposals slipped out by the Government just before Christmas call for a £70 million hike in planning fees from this April.

Government plans for higher taxes in local neighbourhoods

David Ruffley MP this week attacked Government plans to introduce a supplementary council tax, on top of existing local bills. Under the proposals announced by John Prescott, new 'neighbourhood improvement districts' could charge local residents a hefty top-up on council tax bills.