Mr Borthwick said the reports — one by former Fife Chief Constable Peter Wilson and another by independent social work consultant Jimmy Hawthorn — had been “workmanlike”, but left some issues unexplained.

The councillor was left frustrated yesterday at the lack of time allowed to elected members to ask questions at a presentation on the reports in the City Chambers yesterday.

He said, “I have a high regard for the professional competency of the reports’ authors, but I feel very strongly that many questions remain to be answered.

“We owe it to the young infant and the people of Dundee to get those answers. We have to be absolutely sure our services are capable of dealing with difficult situations or we do a very great disservice to Brandon.”

Mr Borthwick said there were still issues surrounding the “concordat” agreement between the Scottish Government and the city council that left the latter to determine priorities; how, when and why cases are prioritised and whether manpower and/or resource shortages placed too much of a burden on social workers.

He also has concerns about the ability of the various agencies involved in child protection to pool information in a meaningful way.

Mr Borthwick said, “I am particularly anxious to find out who made the decision to prioritise cases and whether this was a consequence of staff limitations or financial constraints.

“If there was a significant issue in that respect, why weren’t committee members not fully appraised of any changes to social work policy?

“We need to know whether the concordat between the Government and the council is working effectively or if it’s having an adverse impact on child protection services.

“For a considerable period of time, elected members, including myself, have asked the question of the social work directorate and the administration whether child services were up to scratch. We repeatedly received assurances that it was.

“I am now beginning to question whether a more positive picture was being painted than was justified. We know there is very serious pressure on resources and it may be that, because of this, some people won’t readily wish to identify deficiencies.

“Is accurate information being passed to the most senior managers and councillors to enable them to make a proper assessment and reach the right decisions? I think some people might have been keeping their heads down rather than raise problems.

“If there’s a shortage of resources or manpower, we ought to be told the likely impact that will have on services. We need the fullest information and I don’t think we have been receiving that.

“That isn’t a criticism of anyone because they are doing their best in very difficult circumstances, but I think shortages and changes in procedures may have adversely affected the ability of social work staff to deliver services effectively.”

Mr Borthwick was critical of the planning behind the presentation of the two reports yesterday,.

Copies were shown to councillors at 9.30am and that was followed by a presentation by the authors at 11.

“By the time that was finished, councillors had time for just a few questions before the authors had to rush off to a press conference,” he said. “I asked three questions, but certainly had more that there was time for. The whole thing was badly rushed.”