Having been up to the Colchester General Hospital a few times over the last two weeks for tests I am surprised to see how many people are still smoking when the grounds are now smoke free.

Walking from the bus stop through the seating by the lake there are a few people sitting there smoking and even some that are clearly patients from the hospital as they bring their drips outside with them.

There are places set aside for those who use e-cigarettes which I think should also be banned from the grounds, but still even these people can be found siting or walking around the grounds smoking.

I back the no smoking in the hospital grounds but what is the point in having these signs around and places set aside for e-cigarettes if the rule has no one to enforce it?

On Thursday there was a man and woman sitting at an e-cigarette smoking place puffing on real cigarettes.

The man was leaning against the sign that was telling him he should not be smoking in the hospital grounds.

David Mills, Horrocks Close, Colchester

  • Chance to quiz candidates (but not Will) on education

I NOTE with interest Will Quince’s comment at the Mercury Theatre hustings that he wants to put education at the top of the agenda.

Can he therefore explain why there is no mention of schools or education in his election leaflets?

Furthermore, Mr Quince has declined an invitation to speak at a public meeting, specifically on education issues, at Philip Morant School on Thursday at 7.30pm.

It may be he is embarrassed by his party’s education policies which have seen schools in Colchester underfunded and budgets cut by £7.5 million a year.

The consequences are already being seen.

Teachers and support staff are being made redundant or having hours cut. These are often staff who work with vulnerable children with special needs.

Class sizes are increasing. Some schools are having to reduce the number of subjects they teach, resulting in a narrowing of the curriculum as subjects like music, art, drama and PE are squeezed out.

Schools are struggling to replace old equipment and text books and are also having difficulty maintaining classrooms and other buildings.

We are now seeing schools increasingly requesting financial contributions from parents.

Schools have always had to raise funds to pay for extra resources and activities, but now these funds are going to pay for the essentials.

I don’t recall any jumble sales or summer fetes having to be held to raise funds for HS2, Trident missiles or the refurbishment of the Houses of Parliament.

The proposals in the Conservative manifesto do little to solve these problems.

The additional funding promised is nowhere near enough to make up for the cuts already suffered and it is only being made available by removing the right to a nourishing free lunch for our youngest pupils.

Surely, any country which hopes to have a successful and prosperous future should be investing in its young people, not making such cynical cuts.

I would urge all voters, not just parents, to consider carefully the candidates’ positions on education before casting their vote on June 8.

Come along to next week’s meeting to have your say.

Invest in our children. Vote for education and put it at the top of your agenda, because without it none of the grand visions set out in any of the manifestos can ever be fulfilled.

David Evans Secretary, Colchester and North East Essex National Union of Teachers Lilian Impey Drive, Colchester

  • Town needs better police presence

Is it not amazing? Only a few weeks ago I said the lack of police would make things easy for criminals in Manningtree.

It was proved right as last Thursday night the old Natwest cash machine was ripped out the wall.

In recent months we have had a ram raid, shops broken into and now a cash machine ripped out. Surely enough is enough and it is time to reinstate a regular police presence around our area.

We all are made to pay our council tax with a even higher precept.

It is time our district and county councillors took a stand, or do we need a new police and crime commissioner.

Someone must have some answers.

Dave Smy Waldergrave Way, Lawford

  • Together we can stop bowel cancer

On Thursday 8 June there will be a General Election.

Although the discussion on Brexit is dominating the agenda, I want to raise an issue that affects tens of thousands of people in the UK on a daily basis: bowel cancer.

According to Bowel Cancer UK, every 15 minutes someone is diagnosed with the disease making it the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

It’s also the second biggest cancer killer with nearly 16,000 people dying from it every year.

But it shouldn’t be, as it’s treatable and curable if diagnosed early.

Sadly for my husband, Andy, he was diagnosed too late. His GP dismissed his symptoms because he was deemed “too young”.

In September 2014, my husband died in Farleigh Hospice, aged just 31, less than 18 months after we got married.

That’s why I’m asking all candidates to support Bowel Cancer UK in championing early diagnosis and improving access to best treatment and care.

I hope all our candidates will pledge to take action locally and nationally if elected.

By working together we can stop bowel cancer.

Adrienne Quinnear Braintree

  • Public right to treat politicians with disdain

It’s amazing how prior to an election candidates make promises beyond belief, have solutions to all our problems and a crystal ball that enables them to see into the future.

Sadly the sunshine promised disappears after the election results.

Politicians conveniently forget the failed promises made over past decades, but many voters do not and will not forgive them or their arrogance.

Their disdain for the public beggars belief to such a degree “politician” becomes a dirty word.

Brian Love Gentian Court, Braiswick, Colchester

  • Time to start using safety car

We need to look at the safety car again as Tendring is the only place in Essex that it’s not been used.

Road safety is very bad around all our schools in Tendring and nothing has been done for years.

Many parents don’t get the first school of choice and have drive to and from different school to make it on time for the school bell.

Being selfish and parking dangerously is all part of the school run. As resident and a councillor, I think we should look at how we can sort this out and prevent anyone getting hurt or killed.

I agree that ticketing them is not right and very and unfair on them.

It’s also not right when we go out and blitz area to get more revenue, that looks bad on us and goes viral on Facebook within seconds.

It’s about doing regular patrols.

The Tendring Council cabinet agreed we do not want our children spied on.

What sort of people are we employing? Haven’t we heard of the Disclosure and Barring Service?

We have cameras all around the town centre in our cars on our house in our pockets.

I think this is a bit out of date and needs to be looked at again.

Andy Pemberton Bluehouse Avenue, Clacton