Here are nine letters from our readers which were published in the Echo this week:

I have only been to Hadleigh Country Park once!

I only had cash which the machine would not accept so had to rely on a kind stranger to use her card and let me out. Never been back.

JENNIFER GOODCHILD

Westbourne Close, Hadleigh

Another bank closed. My 75 year old mother has to travel to Basildon from Canvey Island to use her bank.

She doesn’t understand online banking. And sometimes needs advice. What about the elderly in this online society?

RICHARD SHELDRAKE

Canvey

Southend Council have made some crazy decisions of late and I think that axing the right hand turn lane into Tyler’s Avenue and onto Clifftown Road forcing drivers to go down to the Seaway car park and come back up to turn left beats the lot.

The main problem is caused by pedestrians attempting to cross against the lights. 

I’m all for saving the tree and looking at where it’s positioned. It’s not even on the crossing.

EDDIE CAINE

Burr’s Hill Chase, Southend

There have been two articles in recent times regarding the need to rewire the Towngate Theatre in Basildon with costs estimated between £700,000 and over a million pounds.

How can these figures be justified? Back in 1988 I worked as an electrician for several months on the original electrical install at the Towngate with a large company from London and I have to say the installation was of a good standard using good long lasting products and in my opinion despite the fact we have since seen the advent of LED lighting and the change of colours with the harmonising of wiring I fail to see how the theatre needs a total rewire.

At the very least house lights and public areas etc do not need new wiring. They could be adapted to work with new LED lights and wiring colours are not important if cables are sound and tested. 

I think it is also common knowledge that the theatre is already subsidised by the council each month and with council budgets so desperately stretched  it is not right to spend vast amounts on electrical work.

So I say modify the original installation and save our taxpayers’ money.

Either that or close it down. Is it all worthwhile?

PAUL LUCAS

Basildon

 

I read with interest and amazement the article in Monday’s Echo regarding Priory Crescent and Cuckoo Corner traffic flow problems. 

The problem in my view is not westbound traffic trying to turn right into Aldi or the Saxon King as there is usually enough room for flowing traffic to pass. 

If no right turn was put in place it would only lead to more traffic flow problems on the Cuckoo Corner roundabout. 

As we know this is bad enough now let alone adding to it. 

If something constructive needs to be done with left and right turns try putting up no right turn signs on the exit from Aldi. 

KEITH IZARD

Manners Way, Southend

I Just want to say I really enjoy the Echo and start my day with a copy of the paper and a cup of coffee, thank you to your team of journalists that do such an excellent job. 

I read with interest the article about another government U-turn, this time reneging on their promise to allow councils to reinvest all the proceeds made from the sale of council houses into the building of new council homes. 

There is a huge housing crisis in this country with around a third of the population spending nearly half their monthly income on housing. 

The crisis is created by the lack of affordable and social housing and so this latest policy change from the Tories will only make matters worse. 

Just imagine if all the people, who currently live in relative poverty as a direct result of the huge cost of housing, were able to spend more of their hard earned cash in the economy rather than lining the pockets of wealthy landlords. 

Not only would it be a huge boost to our economy, it would also massively reduce the housing benefit bill which has increased exponentially in recent years. 

Indeed, the increase in housing benefit is not caused by worklessness as the vast majority of those in receipt of that benefit are working people. 

It is driven up entirely by the extortionate cost of rent and by a housing crisis which is fuelled by decisions such as the one made by this Conservative government. 

We all deserve a better deal than the one we are getting under Sunak and his cabinet.

MATTHEW WATERFALL,

Clifftown Parade, Southend

Why do people find the need to cycle on the pavement? It is actually against the law.

If they don’t have the skills to use the road, maybe they should use a bus. 

Most people I’ve encountered expect me to move out of their way. 

In fact one young lad I came across only said two words and one of them was “off”. His parents must be very proud of him.

The police don’t have the manpower to enforce the law, but I have been told the practice is against the law. 

TREVOR GOLDING,

Via email

Watching the righteous anger at the racist comments by a Tory donor, one item stood out.  

Diane Abbott (at whom the comments were made) was suspended from the Labour party in April 2023 for alleged anti-semitic comments. 

Why are they taking so long to decide on her case?  I suspect the Labour party would rather do nothing than risk bad press prior to any General Election.  

The Labour party selection contest in Croydon East is being investigated by the police over allegations of “computer misuse”, this was last November.

Here in Southend we have two councillors barred from standing for the Labour Party in the local elections. 

Can you trust Labour?  Unable to come to a decision, bringing the police in, barring two well respected Southend councillors from standing, what next?

How long will they be in power before they implode?  Voting Tory will give us five more years of decline (and more infighting),  voting Labour it seems will give us a party also riven by infighting.

Liberal Democrats?  Local candidates with honest policies that are best for you and best for Britain. Not the party, not the unions and certainly not the party donors.

JAMES ALLEN,

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Southend East and Rochford

I was walking home from work and decided to walk along the seafront from the Kursaal building heading to Shoeburyness.

As I got closer to Shoebury where the beach huts start I saw a dog walker walking along the beach, picking up alot of plastic along his route.

It’s true what they say. Its never the dog but the dog owner and this dog owner was very responsible and more. 

I wanted to thank the gentleman for help looking after our beaches with his kind act.

Once I arrived home I collected my litter pick and took my dogs out for a walk and did a little litter pick around my route.

I want to thank the many people out there giving their time up to help our city.

LEE CLARK

Member of the Confelicity Party representing the Kursaal Ward