These are Eltham candidates' views on the NHS, education, crime and local issues this General Election 2017

Clive Efford for the Labour Party, Matt Hartley for the Conservatives, and David Hall-Matthews for the Liberal Democrats are standing in Eltham for election.

In the first half of our questions, we asked them for their stances on key policy areas from the NHS, education, crime and local issues ahead of the vote on June 8.

Left to right, Matt Hartley for the Conservatives, Clive Efford for the Labour Party, and David Hall-Matthews for the Liberal Democrats.

• NHS

Clive Efford: We must get investment in our NHS closer to the European average where it was when Labour left office. The BMA state that we have fewer nurses and doctors per head of population than France, Germany and Italy. No wonder we have gone back to patients waiting on trolleys in hospital corridors.

Matt Hartley: My father worked in the NHS for most of his working life, and it has since saved his life twice – it’s a precious institution, and I want to see it properly supported so it can meet the needs of local people. The Conservative manifesto commits to increasing NHS spending by at least £8 billion in real terms over the next five years. Here in Eltham, I would see it as a key part of my role as our new MP to influence our local NHS commissioners to make the right decisions for local people.

David Hall-Matthews: Our NHS – once the envy of the world – is in crisis. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can change the direction of our country – and save our NHS. Liberal Democrats will invest an extra £6bn a year in our NHS and social care system; paid for through an immediate 1p rise in all rates of income tax. This funding will be ring-fenced to be spent only on the NHS and social care and will provide vital services with the money they desperately need.

• Education

Clive Efford: I oppose the Tories cuts that will remove £24 million overall from Greenwich Schools including their so called fairer-funding formula. If we do not invest in our children we are not investing in the future of our country. We need to be increasing spending on our schools not cutting it.

Matt Hartley: As a governor of Ealdham Primary School for these last six years, I care deeply about improving education in our borough – and ensuring every child is given the help they need to succeed. Schools in Eltham have received an extra £6 million for disadvantaged pupils through the Pupil Premium in the last year, which is making a big difference. And despite claims being circulated at the school gates by other candidates in this election, the Conservative manifesto commits to increasing the schools budget by £4 billion in real terms overall – and to ensuring that no school will see their budget reduced.

David Hall-Matthews: Children in Eltham are being taught in overcrowded classes by overworked teachers - but Theresa May doesn't care. Under the Conservatives, funding per pupil is set to see the biggest cuts in a generation, while billions of pounds are being spent on divisive plans to expand grammars and free schools. The Liberal Democrats have announced they will invest £53 million more in schools and colleges across Greenwich Borough over the next parliament. £2.8m of the funding would be spent on protecting the Pupil Premium, introduced by the Liberal Democrats to help the most disadvantaged children. This extra funding would ensure no school and no child in Eltham loses out. I will fight to reverse crippling Conservative cuts to school budgets and invest to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed.

• Crime

Clive Efford: Our police safer neighbourhood teams were drastically cut back by Boris Johnson. I have already met with Mayor Sadiq Khan to discuss bringing back dedicated teams of officers who are permanently based in each ward. When we had dedicated officers, the intelligence they gathered about the areas they policed enabled them to make efficient of their resources to help tackle crime quickly and effectively.

Matt Hartley: I serve as a member of the Safer Neighbourhood Panel covering Coldharbour, Mottingham & New Eltham, which acts as a liaison group between residents and the police. Recorded crime is down by eight percent across London since 2010, and we are lucky to have terrific police officers across our area. As our MP, I would work with them to make sure residents’ views are heard. I would also work closely with our Borough Commander, and strongly oppose the Mayor of London’s plans for this position to effectively be scrapped.

David Hall-Matthews: We will boost investment in police forces by £300m a year. This is in stark contrast to the Conservatives who have overseen devastating cuts to community policing. Theresa May as Home Secretary and now Prime Minister has cut policing budgets by over £2bn, eroding the very fabric of community policing. Under the Liberal Democrats, the Metropolitan Police would see a funding increase of more than £62 million a year. This could be used to restore a visible policing presence in Eltham and ensure the police have the training and tools to deal with the changing nature of crime.

• Local issue

Clive Efford: I will force the government to listen to local people and scrap the Tories’ plans to cut our train services to Charing Cross and Victoria. I will also oppose their plans to reduce our off-peak services to only four trains an hour. I will also continue to demand that we increase capacity on our railway by introducing 12-car trains.

Matt Hartley: I have been campaigning for years on behalf of Southeastern commuters, who have put up with a terrible service for far too long. We have suffered from decades of underinvestment in our transport network in South East London, and if elected as Eltham’s new MP, I will be the effective champion that local commuters need. In particular, as a local councillor I have strongly opposed any suggestion that Bexleyheath line trains could go to Cannon Street only – the answer to Eltham’s transport problems is more connectivity, not less.

David Hall-Matthews: I am concerned at rising inequality. With the population growing fast in Eltham, too many children are not being given a fair start in life. Even before they get to school, they are losing out to the lucky few with wealthy parents. Thousands of 3-4 year-olds in Eltham will benefit from Liberal Democrat plans to triple funding for the early years pupil premium, with gives extra cash to nurseries, preschools and school receptions when they take on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The cash would triple the funding to £1,000 per pupil per year - up from £302 in 2015-16.