Waterways our in a terrible state

After travelling the canal network of England and Wales over the past six months, extolling Leicester's virtues to the many people we have met on the way (Leicester is known in canal terms as a "no stop" area), it was with much sadness we returned home to find what a sorry state the canals and rivers in Leicester are in.

Entering the city from the north, the rubbish is appalling and the areas around some of the town locks are a disgrace. The graffiti is continuous on all locks and bridges through the city and now as far south as Fleckney.

We have visited many major cities this year and I can honestly say Leicester was one of the worst to travel through.

I have now seen our city in the eyes of visitors and can understand their horror.

Surely, we can take more care of our waterways as many other cities do, making them a place to enjoy for locals and visitors alike.

Jan Hibberd, Leicester.

When political candidates present themselves for election – at any level – are they required to prove their medical fitness before their nomination is accepted?

If not, why not? And, once elected, are they subject to mandatory annual medicals?

Being an elected member, at any level, can be a very stressful job at times. The service of one's constituents can strain ability to breaking point – and marriages, too, for that matter!

Surely voters are entitled to expect that candidates are "up to the mark"?

The emergency services, aircrew, armed services recruits and professional soccer players must prove their fitness and ability. Are MPs and the like exempt?

John Burrows, Humberstone.

Leicester students' residence The Summit is the nastiest, most forbidding building I have ever seen and is completely at odds with the prettiness of its setting.

It is even bleak enough to make passing wizards shiver. Perhaps it should be renamed Azkaban.

Julian Wright, Braunstone.

The freeze on council tax will be welcomed, but who pays?

Council tax is a bizarre tax that favours the wealthy, with all properties over £320,000 being rated at exactly the same level.

David Cameron pays the same for his millionaire's house in Oxfordshire as a middle income family pays for a typical house in much of the south east.

An equitable distribution of the burden of council tax would ensure those who do not pay their fair share would do so, and that is the best way to reduce the tax burden on middle and low income families.

However, fair taxes are not on the Tory agenda, so who will pay? Pensioners are top of the list.

The largest budget item in local government is adult care services, already a badly under-funded area.

Social care for older people will be scarcer and more expensive, so that David Cameron can continue to pay an ethically indefensible level of council tax.

Eric Goodyer, Colsterworth, Lincs.

A huge thank-you to the people of Oadby, who took to the streets of their town to raise money for Compassion in World Farming, Britain's leading farm animal welfare organisation.

The £76.74 raised will enable Compassion in World Farming to continue its work of campaigning for increased standards of farm animal welfare.

Victoria Hawkins compassion@ciwf.org.uk