Our family could also be facing a similar situation if one of Dundee’s long-established building firms closes its doors.

This firm is not in financial difficulties, but it simply cannot get new contracts. Dundee City Council is one of the main sources of regular contracts in the city, yet it appears it fails to allocate work to local companies, choosing instead Tayside Contracts followed by companies outwith the city.

It seems the council is not interested in the fact that local companies provide apprenticeships, thereby ensuring a future generation of workers in the city.

Recent indications reveal a huge amount of money is being spent on renovations and new projects by the council.

How much of that work is being carried out by local companies and labour?

Dundee is hailed as a city of many discoveries, but it seems the council is still to discover it has a skilled workforce of local people who are ready and willing to serve the city. — Ever Hopeful, Dundee.

Since the introduction of the roadworks on the A92 East Dock Street, the main arterial route in and out of the city of Dundee, we have seen our bus services on occasions being severely disrupted, especially at peak times. This was especially so during the week commencing October 19. Extremely wet weather and traffic congestion resulted in services being delayed in excess of double their running time causing issues with driver changeovers and is regrettably not a problem which immediately rectifies itself once the congestion abates.

We have been liaising very closely with Transport Scotland, Bear Scotland, Dundee City Council and the police to try and minimise the disruption caused to our customers, but the difficulties were only compounded by the unpredictable actions of car drivers who themselves were looking for alternative routes.

During the October school holiday period, traffic volumes slackened considerably, which allowed everything to move more freely and gave the impression that the worst had passed. Regrettably, with the return to school on Monday, October 19, and the roadworks reaching their most extensive phase, traffic around the city was severely affected.

In a normal week we record a very small number of lost journeys, mainly caused by traffic congestion, but during the week of October 19 this number was up six-fold. To put this into perspective, the disruption was three times more than that which we would expect in the week before Christmas, which is historically the worst week of the year for traffic congestion.

Throughout the period of the roadworks we increased the level of resources in our control room to support our drivers at a cost to ourselves.

Our drivers are required to operate to the scheduled timetable at all times unless instructed otherwise by our control room supervisor and, through no fault of their own, are equally frustrated at being unable to do so. During the last fortnight especially, we have endeavoured to run a full timetable with every service being fully operated.

However the problems have been so acute that it has not had the desired impact.

I am very proud of the way in which our staff, and drivers in particular, have been dealing with these problems and apologise most sincerely to our customers and to thank them for their loyalty and understanding.

We feel we have done our utmost to try and keep passengers informed of the problems we have faced via bus notices and the local radio stations. However, through feedback from our customers we realise that it has not been enough and have, therefore, raised this issue with the local authorities and are currently in discussion to see how we can communicate better through the Real Time Information Boards at bus stops. This would give up-to-date information during times of major disruption when buses are having to be taken out of service for reasons such as congestion, breakdown or accident.

We are delighted to see that a large section of the roadworks are now complete and we have confidence our services will be returning to normal over the next couple of weeks. — Lawrence Davie, Director Dundee, National Express Dundee.

The synchronised display with Baxter Park on a James Bond theme was both imaginative and spectacular.

We have been going to the display for over 20 years and this one was by far the best.

Our five-year-old son was spellbound and it was well worth the trip across the Tay. — Harrow Family, St Andrews.

It was a lovely evening. I go to this display every year, but this one rates as outstanding.

Well done Dundee City Council. — Julie and Jack Young.

The present Guiders Jennifer Adams, Gillian Fenton and Jane Robb would love to invite any members from 1939 though to the present day for an evening of activities and memory sharing.

If you would like to attend please contact Jennifer Adams on 01382 779242 or email jemadams@gmail.com. — Janet Muir, Victoria Road, Broughty Ferry.

I appreciate we are in a recession but we can still find money to put on firework displays on November 5, which in reality has nothing to do with Scotland.

I submitted ideas to the council, but have heard absolutely nothing back.

The council will say there has been no public demand. Do you wonder why? The public have no faith in them. It is time a private enterprise became involved and show them what can be done if you put some effort into it.

Celebrating New Year is a tradition.

How many more traditions are going to disappear before something is done? Dundee as a city is losing face and revenue.

A party would bring in people to our town. The benefits to local businesses from shops to hotels would enhance our public image. — Tumbleweed.

We are embroiled in an unwinnable war in Afghanistan and, at local level, drug fuelled crime and violence is rarely out of the news.

However, according to recent letters, the biggest worry facing some Dundonians is the fact that once again Dundee will have no Hogmanay party in the city. Party? Don’t make me laugh. — Scotus.