With unemployment rising, millions on the dole, the credit crunch, bank bailouts, etc, all some can find to moan about is the festive display being a bit less bright than last year.

The SNP has only recently taken control of the city finances and what did they find?

According to the Tele, they reported that there was no money in the Common Good Fund to pay for this year’s Christmas lights.

What do we do? Force people to pay more council tax, or do we ask the retailers to make a contribution?

I’m sure that if the SNP raised the council tax to pay for the Christmas lights then the same people would be moaning.

Sometimes you cannot win, but I think the correct decision has been made. — Get Real.

Why then does he not donate his bonus to a charity? Let’s face it, he is being paid well to do his job and should be doing it to the best of his ability.

Many people do their jobs with exceptional results but do not get a bonus for doing it, so why should the Chief Constable be any different?

His remit is to control and reduce crime in the city and if that is achieved, then that is what he is being paid for.

What about the ordinary policemen on the beat who are really doing the job of reducing crime?

They are certainly not getting anything like £18,000 bonuses for doing their jobs.

Mr Mathieson was appointed with a very good salary to police the city and get the best results possible so that should be the end of it and forget about bonuses. — Concerned Taxpayer.

As people saw on the TV there is no gas, electricity, heating or hot water to even wash and most importantly there are no cooking facilities.

I am having to eat out every day i.e. my breakfast can cost £2.50, my dinner can be the same and to eat and drink for the rest of the day can cost £4-5. You go to university and get your bursary, which was your choice.

My position wasn’t my choice and when Roisin Isaacs was in my house she stated, “This is unreal and that nobody should be living in these conditions, I wish there was a way I could help you,” which obviously never happened.

Does this person think I like what I do? I wish I had a job to go to but I have to do this to survive. I’m not sorry I’ve got somewhere to put my head down but that is all I have. I bet you’ve got a lot more than that i.e. heating, cooking facilities, electric and hot water.

Another letter writer wrote, “What makes Mr Keen think he is entitled to receive such handouts” and suggested there would be not that many people who would hand out that amount of money to a “former drug addict.” I say former is the important word.

As I said in the Tele, I didn’t deserve thousands of pounds.

I understand it is the woman’s money and she can spend it how she pleases, but she was saying to me if there was anything she could do she wished she could help.

So after us finding out who she was and after what she said to me that is why I felt disgruntled. Also she came to Dundee to help Dundonians and the Polish family walked away with the biggest amount of all.

No doubt there will be people unhappy with what I’ve got to say but life goes on. — Kevin Keen.

On looking into the possible routes I can also clarify that the intended route between Wormit and Ninewells would, as an example take around 36 minutes.

We are confident that those who travel to Ninewells from the Taybridgehead area will see an improvement in the services offered from these proposed additional journeys from July. — Charlie Mullen, Managing Director, Stagecoach East Scotland.

All anyone has to do is request a paperless bill and this will avoid paying the £1.25 charge while still paying by direct debit.

As a customer, in Virgin’s defence, we were forewarned by letter several months ago, so there is no mystery involved.

The advantage of having a computer and the Internet is that you can check your account online for the amount due and a breakdown of the costs. It is not necessary to pay via the Internet to escape this charge. — DWB.

We may be in the digital age, but that does not justify penalising Luddites like me who choose not to be part of it.

I spoke to Virgin about this yesterday and was told the charge was introduced in an attempt to reduce the amount of paper the company used.

I would find this easier to accept if it were not for the fact that scarcely a week goes by without Virgin sending me reams of unsolicited mail inviting me to upgrade or buy some new service the company is offering.

Once we accept the notion that it’s OK for businesses to bill you for sending you a bill, where will it all end? — No Longer Virgin, Dundee.

However, I realised very early on that politicians were only there to mostly line their own pockets making it more difficult to find a party to trust.

This recent expenses fiasco which has been exposed has made me even more convinced of this so therefore my voting days are well and truly over. — DB1.

The final count came to 1461 signatures. Although we weren’t able to change the minds of the councillors, it’s heartening to know so many of the local community care about the school and the children. — Fiona Taylor, Merton Avenue, Dundee.