I remember reading that the main contractor is Bovis and that 60 per cent of the £34 million contract will be delivered by local labour.

This means, of course, that four workers out of 10 will be coming from outwith what Bovis calls the local area.

Given the furore over the awarding of the City of Discovery’s contract for a website to an Edinburgh firm can I be assured that Bovis does not consider Edinburgh to be local?

Can the company be specific about where the workforce will be from as I notice most of the machinery on site belongs to a firm called Dunne and it is not a name I recognise? — Dundee First.

[A spokesperson for Bovis Lend Lease said, “The company is committed to using local labour where it can, on any project that it is involved with.

“This commitment also applies to Dundee House, which, due to some of the specialist nature of the construction, has a requirement to also use companies from outside the immediate area.

“This would be the case with any company undertaking such a project.”]

I am 40 years old so I understandably asked why.

She went on to ask the age of my daughter. I replied I was purchasing the alcohol for my own use and informed the lady that my daughter is of legal age regardless She eventually took my money and informed me that she could potentially face a fine of £2000 and lose her job for serving underage drinkers.

I understand shops have to be careful but in my opinion this took it a bit far. — M. G.

I am a homeowner in the area and I work full-time and also have a part-time job in the evenings and weekends as well. I also have a young family.

Though I have a busy lifestyle, I still find time to tidy up my front and back garden and keep it looking respectable. It does not take a great deal of time to do this and I find it quite a good way to unwind after a day’s work.

When Struggling Home Owner bought his or her property, he or she must have known about the garden that came with the home and the need to keep it tidy. Maybe he or she would have been better suited to living in a flat where there would be no garden to look after?

Ancrum Drive is a lovely and desirable place to live and nice gardens would increase the value of all the properties in the area.

If anyone doesn’t have the tools to take care of a garden, perhaps they could borrow a neighbour’s as I have found the people in Ancrum Drive to be very friendly and helpful. — Dundee Lion Remover.

Some back gardens resemble jungles.

This can’t be creating a good impression for the city, as away fans visiting the football stadiums will have to pass these areas.

I would imagine that a large proportion of these properties are rented from private landlords.

Surely Dundee City Council can ensure that the landlords and owners keep these areas in good condition. — Pride In Our City.

First of all it said there would need to be cutbacks on Christmas lights.

Then it banned home baking at school events.

Soon after it allowed a dispute with the city’s refuse collectors to get out of hand leaving the city centre’s streets strewn with garbage over several weekends.

Then it left old war veterans at Rosendael in the Ferry not knowing what way to turn because the money to fund the home isn’t available.

And now it has left Dundee website companies fizzing with the decision to hand the Dundee.com contract to an Edinburgh company.

It’s quite a record for a year. — Annoyed Dundonian.

First of all it said there would need to be cutbacks on Christmas lights.

Then it banned home baking at school events.

Soon after it allowed a dispute with the city’s refuse collectors to get out of hand leaving the city centre’s streets strewn with garbage over several weekends.

Then it left old war veterans at Rosendael in the Ferry not knowing what way to turn because the money to fund the home isn’t available.

And now it has left Dundee website companies fizzing with the decision to hand the Dundee.com contract to an Edinburgh company.

It’s quite a record for a year. — Annoyed Dundonian.

Easy Walkers is holding a fund-raising morning on Saturday at The Plough Inn, Forfar, from 10-1pm to raise funds for local animal charities.

There will be a coffee morning, prize bingo and then Easy Walkers Daryl Beech will get his legs waxed at 12.30pm to boost funds.

All are welcome for a fun morning of fundraising. Phone 07518 559707 for more details. — Easy Walkers.

l To Tullideph Nursing home staff for the fete on Saturday; also to Janet who was in charge. — T. Taylor.

l To everyone for gifts, money and cards at my 18th/leaving party in Celtic Boys Club. — Kaysha Howett, Greenlee Drive, Dundee.

While the people who are supposed to protect him were having meetings about meetings, this little lad was enduring a terrible life.

Of course no one could have predicted this tragedy. You don’t have to be a genius to work that one out. Who knows, maybe I won’t be here in two days time, on in a year’s time, because no one can possibly predict how long a person will live.

But what we do expect is the highest standards and professionalism from those employed in the protection of children.

It is also no surprise that Alan Baird refuses to give up his position. I challenge Alan Baird to release all the photographs of Brandon’s house to see what kind of life this wee boy was subjected to.

Mr Baird states that the inquiry was carried out independently. However, one of the report writers was an independent social work consultant who knows how the system works.

So why not do the honourable thing Mr Baird? We want justice for Brandon. — Tony Saunders, Baldovan Terrace, Dundee.

While I appreciate that we have a new administration who have inherited this scandal I do not think this means that the leader of the council and the convenor of social work at that time should escape without comment. The minimum we should see is apologies to the family of Brandon Muir for the failings of the administration. — Disillusioned Labour Voter.

If anyone in life, be it medical science, social work, or those who bet on the lottery could predict the future there would be no social ills in society and we would all live happily ever after.

The findings should have read failing to prevent, not predicting the future.

I for one do not have a solution to the problem, but find it incredible no minutes of crucial meetings regarding the situation were recorded to aid the necessary multi-agency approach required to deal with this case. It seems to me that joined up thinking did not take place regarding Brandon. — Realist.

He calls on the director of the social work department to resign and I ask why?

I can’t see where consultant Jimmy Hawthorn or Peter Wilson use this as a recommendation. The report is very transparent and provides a way forward for committed qualified social workers to progress and provide the best services for all users of these services.

Does Mr Petrie honestly believe he is acting in the best interests of staff or is he trying to use this regrettable issue to platform himself on the political bandwagon once again? — Political Preacher.