PENSIONERS put politicians through their paces as election fever hots up.

Colchester Pensioners' Action Group invited senior residents to grill party candidates ahead of the borough elections on May 7.

Firstsite gallery and Colchester's new market were hot topics raised during the two-hour question and answer session at Cardinal Bourne Hall.

Current councillors representing the political parties included Paul Smith, Liberal Democrats; Sue Lissimore, Conservative; Dave Harris, Labour and Gerard Oxford from The Highwoods and Stanway Independent Group.

Ron Levy represented UKip and Andrew Canessa represented the Green party and do not currently have council seats.

All candidates agreed things had to change at Colchester's Firstsite gallery so it attracts a broader range of visitors.

The £28million building has sparked controversy after the Arts Council recently withdrew a three-year funding agreement in favour of a short- term grant, due to concerns over its viability.

Mr Oxford said: "It would seem now that the Arts Council has been given one-year funding that they are being more lenient and hopefully we are going to see greater flexibility of what's on display there.

"Ultimately, if it goes 'belly up' we own the land and building. That would be an asset to us.

"We don't want that to occur. We are not looking at expecting that to."

And Mrs Lissimore said: "The management must change, the outlook needs to change. It must lose its snobbery of art. If it's turned back to Colchester Council I would give it over to the Mercury Theatre. They have a great reputation of being an incredibly powerful theatre."

Candidates were also asked to justify Colchester's new market, due to open in High Street, next month.

The council has come under scrutiny after street traders operating in Culver Street West were told they had to give up their pitches on Fridays and Saturdays and should join the new market, paying more rent.

Mr Smith said every pitch had been sold and there was a waiting list of market traders wanting to take part.

But he admitted there needed to be better consultation with all parties "because the current situation is not good."

And plans for a multi-million pound retail and leisure park at Stanway by the Tollgate Partnership were also discussed.

Mrs Lissimore said she was excited about the plans and if they included a new cinema, would be good competition for the town's existing Odeon.

But Mr Smith added: "If you have a large out of town retail development, it will be great for the land owners at Stanway.

"Small traders in the town centre would suffer. We as a council take the view the town centre is an important area for retail shopping.

"If we allow the development of the borough to be driven by private developers, we will be making a serious mistake."