David Ruffley

David Ruffley will be meeting members of the local clergy at Christ Church, Moreton Hall, on Friday, 28 February. It is being held there at the invitation of the Reverend Jonathan Ford.

David holds regular meetings with church leaders from all denominations in his constituency.

The main topic for discussion on Friday will be the war with Iraq

Charter Mark award winner, the Stow Lodge Centre, Chilton Way, Stowmarket, will receive a visit from David Ruffley on Friday, 31 January at 12.45 p.m. David will meet centre manager, Julia Smith, and her staff and clients.

Stow Lodge received the award from the Cabinet Office following rigorous assessment last year. The staff at the centre were praised for the effective way in which they worked and for always putting the care of service users first.

David Ruffley will be launching Alzheimer's Awareness Week with a release of balloons at Cornhill Walk, Bury St Edmunds on Sunday, 6 July at 11.00 a.m.

As Patron of the West Suffolk Branch of the Alzheimer's Society David is keen to express his support for and raise awareness of people with dementia and their carers in his Bury St Edmunds constituency during Alzheimer's Awareness Week.

Following complaints from local residents about offensive graffiti on the 'one-way' sign at the top of Pump Lane in Bury St Edmunds, David Ruffley raised the issue with Nigel Badcock, Director of Construction Services and Works at St Edmundsbury Borough Council. As a result of David drawing this to the Council's attention, the graffiti was removed last week.

As a result of David Ruffley's personal intervention with the Chief Executive of the Post Office a meeting is being held on Friday, 10 January at 3.00 p.m. at Sicklesmere Post Office with Lin Norbury, Head of Area- Community Network East to discuss the future of the village sub-post office. Mr Laurie Marshall, Chairman of Great and Little Whelnetham Parish Council has also been invited to attend.

Government gimmicks and burglary guidelines are failing Bury St Edmunds says Ruffley

Crime is soaring according to new government figures. David Ruffley MP today pointed to Home Office statistics showing that the number of robberies in Mid Suffolk rose by 180% in 2001-2.

David Ruffley MP said this was evidence that the Government's knee jerk reactions, gimmicks and initiatives were not working, and expressed concern that new plans to not jail burglars could increase crime further. He said:

MP calls for schools to be freed from inept Whitehall interference

David Ruffley MP warned that 1981 teachers could leave Suffolk's schools over the next five years. A survey conducted by MORI and the General Teaching Council has found that one in three of all teachers expect to leave teaching within five years, protesting about workload, government interference and poor pupil behaviour.

David Ruffley MP will be meeting Dr Watson and his partners at the Needham Market Country Practice on Friday, 17 January at 3.30 p.m.

David keeps in regular contact with members of the medical profession in his constituency as well as the Health Trusts who perform the administrative role in Suffolk.

Subjects for discussion will include GP patients lists and the role of GPs within the new health structure in the south Stowmarket area.

David Ruffley has received a large number of representations from residents in the Cedars Park area of Stowmarket and beyond against the planning application submitted by Stowmarket Multi Modal Distribution Park and GB Railfreight Ltd for a major rail freight depot on land adjoining the A1120 at Stowmarket. The site is across the road from Tesco's.

Independent report predicts 400 more dumped cars a year across Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket