MK Today - Sunday 18th June 2023

Life much be so much easier for people who do not care.

My head is aching like crazy after banging it against the brick wall of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Tow Council these past three months as I have tried to rescue Leon Dinosaur from its lack of care these past seven years.

Leon Dinosaur of course features in my 1994 book NOT THE CONCRETE COWS. Within the opening phrases of that book I wrote: I doubt there is such a thing as a Milton Keynes Fan Cub but if they were then you could certainly put me down for a lifetime subscription. I also said thirty years ago that I did not like what some people were trying to do to Milton Keynes. Well they’ve done it now and continue to do what they do.

Life must be easier for those who do not care. Easier does not mean better !

Saturday 17^th June a seventeen year old boy was stabbed in New Bradwell. Looking at the

BBC News website at the crack of dawn on Sunday 18^th June there are reports of a police officer being stabbed in Kent, the horrific events of murders and attempted murders in Nottingham. The news of hundred being killed in Uganda has dropped off the BBC’s radar.

In MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LEGEND I speak about Stab City. In my fiction book THEHANGMAN’S GRANDSON I give factual information listing murders when the death penalty was in use and comparing them with the number of killings happening in modern society. I do not support the death penalty but since its abolition the number of killings has increased dramatically.

Saying that I did not like what some people were trying to do to Milton Keynes I am sure could be said of society all over the country. Those people are people who do not care.

It is now 6am. In half an hour or so I will be taking Doggie Barnaby out for his morning walk. As I do every day I will pick up litter as we begin our day. I’ll tell you what happened after the walk. BRB.

7.05am and I ARB – Am Right Back.

Not too sinister a walk around Scruffy West Bletchley. Barnaby and I picked up one bag of crap West Bletchley style. (I must explain 1 carrier bag and not a bin bag.) That brings our total since March to 144 – A gross for those who are

old enough to know what a gross is !

On 8^th June I hand delivered a letter to Milton Keynes Cowboy Council regarding the City of Litter. It was supportive of the work the council does but invited persecution of litterers. I posted a copy to Scruffy West Bletchley Council. NEITHER REPLIED. Milton Keynes where politics comes before people. A few days ago I e-mailed the presentation to three members of Milton Keynes Green Party’s committee. NOT ONE HAS THS FAR REPLIED. Milton Keynes where politics comes before people in every case and here where politics comes before the environment.

Enough of all this negativity !  Thought For Today.

Believe in your heart that you're meant to live a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles.

Lovely words. I will say no more.

For nearly two years I have been working to take all of the names from all of the war memorials across our city and place them into what I call the MILTON KEYNES BOOK OF HONOUR. I am trying to reveal the REAL people behind the names. Every day I share on social media those who fell on that day.

Here is the list of today's young men who gave their lives so we can live our old lives:

1915 Corporal RMR/B/`585 Charles Joseph Fleet DSM (Ch/10109) Chatham Battalion Royal Navy Division Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died Friday 18^th June 1915 at the age of thirty-three years. Named on Newport Pagnell War Memorial. Corporal Fleet has no known grave. He is commemorated in Skew Bridge Cemetery Turkey Special Memorial A 42.

1918 Private 51287 George Vincent Pater 10^th Battalion Worcester Regiment. Killed in action Tuesday 18^th June 1918 in France and Flanders. Born and resident Olney. Named on Olney War Memorial. Private Pater’s place of burial and commemoration are not known.

1945 Lance Corporal T/266498 Arthur Charles Umney Royal Army Service Corps attached to Royal Artillery. Died Monday 18^th June 1945 at the age of thirty-eight years. Son of Charles and Lilian Umney, husband of Mabel Umney of Newport Pagnell. Named on Newport Pagnell War Memorial. Lance Corporal Umney is buried in Labuan War Ceetery Malaysia Grave R B 11.

1945 Gunner 1766419 Cecil Thomas Baldwin 14 (The Essex Yeomanry) Royal Horse Artillery. Died Monday 18^th June 1945 at the age of twenty-nine years. Son of Joseph and Edith Baldwin of Newport Pagnell. Named on Newport Pagnell War Memorial. Gunner Baldwin is buried in Beirut War Cemetery Lebanese Republic Grave 7 F 3.

Where I can find the information I am listing these young men by the addresses where they lived calling this the Milton Keynes Map of Honour. Let me select an address by random and

here share it.

SAINT MARY STREET NEW BRADWELL:

Number 62 - 1918 Private 86492 Louis James Illing 50^th Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) Formerly 27515 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action Friday 22^nd March 1918.

Within my book MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LEGEND there is a chapter We Built This City On Rock And Roll.

Not exactly Rock and Roll but Here is the King of Rock and Roll singing a piece of Milton Keynes music.

Composed in Olney Milton Keynes by former slave trader John Newton in December 1772 Amazing Grace is the most recorded piece of music by artist ever. Here is US President Barac Obama's version.

MK TODAY began in January  from my book MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LEGEND but

with my banging my head against the brick wall of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council I found myself too involved trying to rescue Leon Dinosaur so stopped. That is not good enough, I need to get back to writing this project so here I am.

I am not going to say I will write a page every day, I would like to but will write as and when I have somehing to share of importace to our city. Of importance to the REAL people in our city and not those who think real people exist purely their political ego-centred games.

Life much be so much easier for people who do not care.

It woud but if so what is the point in living such a life ?

Do you recognise the picture I have used for the cover of my book ?

Leon Dinosaur - Presentation to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council PART TWO

 

Did you read yesterday's account within the document I have prepared for a meeting with Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council to rescue Leon Dinosaur ?  IF NOT CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT.

To add your support and sign the petition CLICK HERE.

So today let's talk avout...................

A DIFFERENT DINOSAUR ?

Bruce Abbott was a hard act to follow. When he retired things changed. A series of head teachers followed and the school changed, not always for the better. At the time of writing this document OFSTED has the school in special measures.

Within changes A DINOSAUR MANAGEMENT EXPELLED LEON DINOSAUR, disrespecting Headmaster Bruce Abbott, Bill Billings together with all the students involved and put in motion the demise of our friend. At this time the statue was placed into the ownership of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council and relocated to its present position behind Serpentine Court.

If we are going to save Leon Dinosaur Leon School 2023 needs to be encouraged to get on board. I will talk about that later in the week.

IN GOOD FAITH VERSUS DISHONOUR AND DISRESPECT:

Over the years I came to accept the fact that the management of Leon School had behaved in the way it had. Visiting the dinosaur within my writing I was utterly horrified at what I found and felt I had a duty to speak out

 

My campaign to save Leon Dinosaur began towards the end of November 2021. Now in May 2023 it is no longer my campaign but OUR campaign having gained tremendous support within the community of Milton Keynes City.

I will now share how we got to where we are right now. There is a lot of negativity within this section, such has to be explained, but if we are to rescue Leon Dinosaur we must move beyond such in order to achieve and celebrate success. Anyone who is not prepared so to do must step aside.

21st  November 2021:

Today I visited our dinosaur this morning and found him ill, TERMINALLY ILL and suffering from serious NEGLECT !

Leon Dinosaur is on his death bed.

First of all as I approached the iconic sculpture it looked to me as if he had been on a day trip to Bristol the world’s capital of scruffy graffiti !  Who ever thought this was an appropriate costume for Leon Dinosaur to wear ! Artist Bill Billings would have been horrified !

If you visit the Peartree Bridge Dinosaur you will find a simple notice of heritage explaining this is the work of our late community artist Bill Billings. My thinking was to have something similar for our dinosaur.

The dinosaur was Leon School Headmaster Bruce Abbott’s idea. He delegated it  to me to project manage. It was Bill Billings and the Leon Students of 1991/1992 who made it happen. I DO NOT want my name on any plaque but IDO WANT Bruce Abbott and Bill Billings to be acknowledged along with the Leon students working within the project.

Leon Dinosaur is thirty years old but  unless something is done as a matter of urgency he will vanish completely from sight. Writing these words in March 2023, sadly I believe that is what some people are hoping will actually happen.

Not only is our dinosaur covered in this hideous graffiti which presumably somebody considers to be art but that art could never cover up the crumbling exterior.

Yes I am angry and I hope my anger is coming out in these words !  I am angry that the work of Bruce Abbott, Bill Billings and Leon Students is being treated with such disrespect. I  am angry that this yet again a failure on the part of Milton Keynes Council. (We now know Milton Keynes Council was not responsible for this  situation.) Passionate as I am about our heritage, something I have been writing about for more than thirty years, I am angry that this icon of heritage is about to vanish from our community !

I shared those words from November 2021 on social media. The response was overwhelming in support save for one member Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council who attacked me on social media saying the dinosaur was part of a regeneration plan and I should not be trying to take an interest.  So great was my support on social media that Milton Keynes Citizen picked up on the situation and ran an article.

The person engaged by Milton Keynes Council to review the situation on Bletchley’s Lakes Estate within a regeneration programme contacted me and picked my brains. We were going to meet at the dinosaur but not for a few weeks. Those weeks have now become a year !

November 2022:

November 2022 I returned to check on the health of our dinosaur. He is holding on but unless he is given urgent attention his life will soon be at its end.

I am hoping our dinosaur can hold on until whoever is responsible for the dinosaur’s destruction acts with honour.

January 2023:

Ideally I would like to see Leon Dinosaur  placed into the care of a small group of trustees. These trustees can take responsibility to organise the urgent surgery needed before moving our friend to a new home.

Where ?  Back to his original home at the bottom of Leon School field where Bill Billings and Leon students constructed him. Back to where Headmaster Bruce Abbott wanted him to be the first thing passengers on trains from London heading into the New City of Milton Keynes would see. The responsibility of care for our dinosaur would remain in the care of the trustees and not be burdened onto the school.

Yes, this was my project but I was only the co-ordinator. It was Bruce Abbott’s idea and Bill Billing’s with Leon teenagers who built our dinosaur. Both Bruce and Bill passed away some time ago. Responsibility falls on my shoulders to save this icon from the failing hands of Milton Keynes Council.

At the start of my campaign to save Leon Dinosaur I was told by the clerk of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council that the statue was owned by Milton Keynes Council. I later received a letter from the clerk writing on behalf of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council quite forcibly confirming Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council did not own Leon Dinosaur.

I tried to engage with Milton Keynes Council but initially without success. Eventually I did receive letters BUT these were unsigned and on blank sheets of paper and NOT council letterhead. I forwarded these to the Local Government Ombudsman for consideration and investigation.

I contacted Iain Stewart MP on a number of occasions raising the situation but he ignored every single one of my letters.  I sent information to Leon School but was not given the courtesy of a reply.

I had significant support for what I am trying to do. Support from residents. Support from those who were part of the team building the statue with community artist Bill Billings. I had a duty to do everything within my power to save Leon Dinosaur.

Milton Keynes Council within its unsigned non-letterhead communications advised me that it does not own the dinosaur statue, such was in PRIVATE hands. This is contrary to the information I was previously given and explained above. Sharing this with the dinosaur’s then support base alarm bells rang thinking private ownership meant the land was to be developed and Leon Dinosaur demolished within such.

I then made a freedom of information request to Milton Keynes City Council in an attempt to find out who owned the land on which Leon Dinosaur stood. I received the following reply. (This can be read on the next page.)

All along Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council owned Leon Dinosaur and all statement otherwise were completely and utterly false ! While the town clerk had repeatedly told me otherwise Milton Keynes City Council’s letter of 30^th March 2023 states:

This has been confirmed by the Clerk after a further check of their records.

Why was such a proper check not undertaken when I was trying to find who owned Leon Dinosaur ?

Within the letter is written:

Milton Keynes City Council holds no information as to when the Town Council took possession of the statue. I understand from the clerk, however, that this was more than seven years ago.

So Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council knew from its records that it owned the stature and is fully responsible for the demise of Leon Dinosaur. It cannot possibly escape responsibility.

Milton Keynes City Council’s letter is reproduced here on page twenty-five. An attempt by Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council to escape such responsibility can be found on page twenty-six.

Please read both documents before proceeding.

This is a completely false and misleading statement. I have made a freedom of information request to Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council seeking to find the name of the author and details of the meeting where council members authorised such.

The statement is made under the heading of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council so it has to be assumed such was done within authority from the council members.

At this time I had set up an on-line petition seeking to build a support base to rescue Leon Dinosaur. I assume the council was aware of such

A statement was made to the local media repeating the false information contained within this statement. The current support base is given on Page Two of this document. 

At the beginning of this document within LEON DINOSAUR IS A CITY ICON I explain how this is a false statement. It would appear that Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council is trying to excuse its negligence. The person responsible for writing this posting must be held to account for publishing such false information. 

As the one to whom the statements were made I do not accept for one moment that such were made in good faith. If in response to the same question being asked of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council by Milton Keynes City Council the clerk was able to confirm ownership of Leon Dinosaur why were similar checks not undertaken to answer my seeking such ? To claim to have acted in good faith I find insulting as completely untrue. If a proper check of records had been under taken at the outset Leon Dinosaur would not be in such a sad state of repair it is in today.

 

Surely Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council within its day-to-day operation knew it owned the dinosaur.

Did Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council obtain planning permission when Leon Dinosaur was moved to its present position ?

·       Is Leon Dinosaur within the portfolio of property owned by Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council covered by its public liability insurance ?

·       Who holds the key to the lock on the fence surrounding Leon Dinosaur ?

·      Who is responsible for cutting the grass and removing litter within the fenced area within which Leon Dinosaur stands ?

·       Who gave permission for the graffiti paint over of Leon Dinosaur and who under took such ?

I do not accept that  Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council is unable to answer any of the above question. I do not accept that the council undertook proper and respectful checks when I asked who owned Leon Dinosaur. To claim to have acted in good faith is untrue, disrespecting myself and all I now represent in seeking to secure the future of Leon Dinosaur.

 

We have here another false statement. When I received Milton Keynes City Council’s letter of 30^th March 2023 I photocopied it and sent it to Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council. To try to claim that recent oral information has suggested is untrue and misleading. I provided not  a suggestion but confirmed fact in writing that Leon Dinosaur is owned by Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council.

I am guessing that Milton Keynes City Council may have initially telephoned the clerk of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council but surely this was followed up in writing. Milton Keynes City Council in its letter states the clerk confirmed ownership, not suggested as in the above. Surely this must have been followed up in writing !  If not then why not ?

Throughout Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council has acted with disrespect and negligence. It cannot try to cover up such with this statement.

Given the various unsigned letters on blank paper not on Milton Keynes City headed notepaper, claims that communication were oral and not in writing it does not need a conspiracy theorist to suggest there is something suspicious within these events.

Each and every single council member must now without question accept liability for this situation and not simply abdicate such to a corporate failing.

I will now turn to the fact that  when I was in my early stages of my campaign, I was attacked on social media by a member of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council. At the time, while offended, I ignored this matter. However, now given the truth of the situation I am not  prepared to allow such to pass. I require a formal apology from Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council passed at full council meeting. I would like to think that the councillor concerned would consider her position and do the honourable thing by resigning.

Within information given to the media Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council speaks of public consultation as to the future of Leon Dinosaur. I have already undertaken such and doubt the council would be able to achieve any greater public response than I have.

I am offended by the way Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council has behaved but desire to move forward using this failure as a foundation stone upon which to build a positive future to rescue Milton Keynes City’s Leon Dinosaur.

This failure and misconduct must be used now as a foundation stone on which to build success. Our community right across the City of Milton Keynes deserves better.

Leon Dinosaur - Presentation to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council

I could never have believed the strength of public opinion that has gathered around Leon Dinosaur  and its demise at the hands of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council. The council has behaved with disrespect and issued fale information. However, it has offered an olive branch hoping to bring about a happy and positive solution. Ahead of an inital meeting at the end of the month I have prepared extensive notes. I would like here now to share some of these words.

THE ORIGINAL IDEA AND HOW IT DEVELOPED:

I served as head of year under two headmasters at Leon School, David Bradshaw and Bruce Abbott. Both were more than headmasters, they loved their schools and wanted only the very best for their pupils. You would have to go a long way to find their like within today’s national education system. Bruce Abbott was great at coming up with ideas and brilliant at dedication.

He came into my office one day and said he wanted a piece of artwork at the bottom of the school field which would be the first thing people saw from the train heading from London into the New City of Milton Keynes. It would raise the profile of the school and become an iconic statue thousands would associate with the school and the New City of Milton Keynes. He would organise the funding and I was to be the project co-ordinator with the students in my year group actually building what would become a Milton Keynes legend for years to come.

His first thinking was to have a series of giant Easter Island heads all the way across the bottom of the school field. He was the boss but I set about trying to persuade him his idea was an ambition a little bit too far.

The concrete cows had quickly become a Milton Keynes legend after BBC DJ and presenter Noel Edmunds kept joking about then. At Peartree Bridge there was the dinosaur created by

community artist Bill Billings which was a celebrated feature and could be viewed while driving along Marlborough Street.

The project needed Bill Billings and we needed something taller than a concrete cow or a  replica of the Peartree Bridge Dinosaur if it were to be seen by passengers entering Milton Keynes by train.

I spoke with Bill Billings and came up with the idea of a different species of dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus Rex. That would be big enough to be seen from the train.

I convinced Bruce Abbott that a single giant statue was the way forward.

This is a comment posted by a supporter who signed our current on-line petition:

I remember seeing it from the train before the trees hid it and knew I was almost home, I would like it to be: A restored and B restored to its original location where it was safer than where it is now.

Headmaster Bruce Abbott’s ambition happened. It COULD be seen form the train and it was the first thing passengers saw when entering the New City. It was intended to be a long-term art installation and the comments made by Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council are completely false and untrue !

There is a Freedom of Information Request pending seeking to find out who made such a statement and under what authority from Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council such was placed into the public domain. Those behind this misleading and false statement have to be called to account.

Placing this statement into the public domain suggested Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council does not know what it is talking about !

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN:

As project co-ordinator the very first thing I had to do was to obtain planning permission for the art statue which would become to be known as LEON DINOSAUR to be built. This was a somewhat complex procedure, agreement had to be obtained from local residents. While it was not an easy process those to whom it had to be submitted were helpful and permission was granted.

Presumably similar planning permission had to be obtained when Leon Dinosaur was moved to its present location on Windemere Drive and such had to have been obtained by the new owners, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council. This must be within its records and so when the council tried to claim it did not own Leon Dinosaur no proper search of such records was undertaken. Alternatively did Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council step aside from making a planning application ?

So we had planning permission, Headmaster Bruce Abbott organised the finances and I engaged Community Artist Bill Billings. The Leon School teenagers were excited big time about being part of the construction.

The excitement continued throughout but to say this was an easy project would be completely untrue. My role became something of a peacemaker. Keeping peace between Bill and the school’s caretaking team. Keeping peace between the teaching staff and students being granted time off lessons in order to work on the dinosaur’s construction.

Students put together a time capsule which Bill Billings placed within the body of the dinosaur, it contained bits and pieces reflecting life in the 1990’s.

When the dinosaur was finished it was finished, end of. There was no official celebration which I now regret organising. I also deeply regret not having a plaque celebrating those who were involved in the project: Headmaster Bruce Abbott, Community Artist Bill Billings and all those wonderful students from Leon School who gave Milton Keynes the dinosaur.

I tried to call the giant statue Leonasaurus Rex but that did not catch on. It became known as Leon Dinosaur and by that name it is still known today.

Today, setting aside the neglect of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council which is responsible for its sad present state, Leon Dinosaur is more than the iron structure and the concrete plaster on its surface, it is more than the time capsule within its stomach, it is full of spirit placed there by those special teenagers without whose efforts Bill could not have brought to reality Bruce’s idea. It was and it still is a part of Leon School.

Thank you all.

 

Tomorrow I will share how Leon Dinosaur fell into its pressent condition.

 

Leon Dinosaur - An update of concern

 

I am NOT looking for sympathy but want to say the way Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council is behaving in regard to its failure to protect Leon Dinosaur is causing me great anxiety. I am particularly unhappy with what is appearing in the media. Below is a report I have filed telling the full and true picture.  I am NOT looking for sympathy but  I AM looking for support – SUPPORT FOR OUR DINOSAUR. Please read the following and share it as widely as you can, invite people to add their support to the petition:  

https://www.change.org/LeonDinosaur

If the media is to report on the demise of Leon Dinosaur it may like to give both sides of the story and not simply help Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council sweet its failure under the carpet.

The stature was the idea of Headmaster Bruce Abbott. He wanted something at the bottom of the school field which would be the first thing seen from trains heading North into the New City of Milton Keynes. This was in the early 1990’s. Bruce’s original idea was for a like of Easter Island heads along the field but I persuaded him to go for a dinosaur. Partly given the vast community interest in the Peartree Bridge Dinosaur and partly the popularity of the film Jurassic Park.

Headmaster Abbott appointed me as project co-ordinator. I had to obtain planning permission which was granted with the support of local residents. I then engaged community Artist Bill Billings to make things happen. He worked with my students, I was Head of Year, and Leon Dinosaur was built. Within its body students placed a time capsule.

Sadly, in later years the school expelled the dinosaur and it was relocated to its present position AND PLACED IN THE CHARGE OF BLETCHLEY AND FENNY STRATFORD TOWN COUNCIL.

Sadly Headmaster Bruce Abbott and Community Artist Bill Billings are no longer with us. As project co-ordinator for the past TWO YEARS I

have been trying to save our dinosaur from its present state of destruction. I am in contact with and am supported by so many of my former students who were involved in the dinosaur’s original construction.

The Clerk from Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council told me early in my campaign that Leon Dinosaur was the property of Milton Keynes Council. In recent months she forcibly repeated this false information.

I tried to engage with the Lakes Estate Regeneration Team who did agree to meet with me but when I tried to set a date it evaporated.

Milton Keynes Citizen did run a supportive feature on the dinosaur at this stage.

Also at this time a member of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council attacked me on social media for what I was doing saying it was nothing to do with me and would be part of the Lakes Estate regeneration.

I featured Leon Dinosaur in my 1994 book NOT THE CONCRETE COWS and again in 2020 in MILTON DREAMS THE CITY THAT NEVER WAS.

Not The Concrete Cows was a collection of articles I wrote for a weekly page in Milton Keynes Citizen together with national magazines. I filmed a brief feature regarding the dinosaur with ITN.

Milton Dreams The City That Never Was, was intended to spark a dream that one day we would be granted a city charter.

I used my writing to make a personal presentation to Buckingham Palace supporting Milton Keynes being awarded a city charter. I know for certain that my work was placed before Her Majesty. Milton Keynes Citizen did run a feature on this presentation.

When Milton Keynes was granted a city charter within Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee such was so special, so special as being within a royal celebration our country has never seen before and probably never will again.

I wrote to Her Majesty saying Thank You for granting Milton Keynes its city charter. Buckingham Palace wrote back saying Thank You for saying Thank You !

My book Milton Dreams The City That Never Was instantly became out of date. I set about writing MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LEGEND. From Amazing Grace, the world’s most recorded by artist piece of music, to Olney Pancake Race. From Queen Boudica to Queen Elanor. From the prince murdered in the tower to the role of Bletchley Park during the Cold War. It is a fact that Milton Keynes has more legends and heritage per square mile than any other town, city or village in the country.

Within the book I celebrate our city’s legend and set out to rescue a number of legends which were in danger of being lost:

·       Leon Bridge

·       The Satellite Pub & Telstar

·       Sir Frank Markham’s writing. Sir Frank was knighted within Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Honours.  I met Sir Frank on two occasions and Lady Markham decades ago gave me permission to use her late husbands writing within my own.

·       LEON DINOSAUR

I sent a copy of the book as a gift to Iain Stewart MP and to Ben Everett MP, NEITHER HAD THE GOOD MANNERS TO SAY THANK YOU !

I attempted to engage Iain Stewart as I began to try and rescue Leon Dinosaur. He ignored each and every letter.

At this stage the Clerk to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council forcibly again stated that

Leon Dinosaur had nothing to do with the council and such was the council’s position. By so saying she was speaking on behalf of every councillor, now we know she was giving false information each and every member of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council is implicated.

Having been again instructed by the town clerk that the dinosaur belonged to Milton Keynes Council I tried to engage with this body in order to bring about this icon of heritage’s rescue. I received a series of strange letters from Milton Keynes City Council on plain paper, NOT council letterhead, with such unsigned. I passed copies to the Local Government Ombudsman but matters have now moved beyond this stage. I then received another letter, again on plain paper but this time signed, saying the dinosaur was privately owned. This caused alarm within the dinosaur’s growing support base that the land on which it stood had been sold for private development.

I then made a Freedom Of Information Request under the 2000 Act of Parliament asking who this private owner was. I received a properly written and signed letter from Milton Keynes City Council stating Leon Dinosaur was owned by Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council, had been for seven years and the town clerk had confirmed such ! PLEASE NOTE Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council is a public body and not something which could privately own Leon Dinosaur as stated in one of Milton Keynes City Council’s plain paper letters.

On 13^th April 2023 I filed a formal complaint against Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council. This has not yet been acknowledged. Given recent events, including your inaccurate media reporting, I will be composing a new complaint with evidence superseding that in the original complaint. I need to gather information from the strong support base Leon Dinosaur now has so this updated complaint will be filed on Wednesday 10^th May 2023.

An on-line petition was launched and has gathered significant support. On a daily basis more people are adding support. Comments filed by supporters can be found at the end of this document.

There is concern within the support base concerning a posting made by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council which contains false information which has been used by the media.

Please note the following false information contained:

This community asset is now in poor condition and was never intended to be a long-lasting public art installation. Poor condition TRUE.  Never intended to be a long-lasting public art installation. FALSE AND UNTRUE. This was my project, I was its co-ordinator acting on the instructions of Headmaster Abbott. I have detailed above his plan and would confirm Leon Dinosaur in its original location was always intended to be a permanent item of public art.

Recent oral information has suggested that the town council took over responsibility when the dinosaur was moved to its present position from Leon School. FALSE AND UNTRUE. The information I received from Milton Keynes City Council was in writing. I copied this and sent it to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council. Being a response to a Freedom of Information Request this is a legal document. To claim the council has nothing in writing but such being oral is untrue and misleading. If indeed Milton Keynes City Council did advise the town clerk initially by way of a telephone call surely this was followed up in writing. IF NOT WHY NOT ?

The town council has previously advised in good faith that the dinosaur was the property of Milton Keynes City Council. How can a public body responsible to its community not  know it owns a community asset ?  I would suggest, given that the town clerk agreed when told by Milton Keynes City Council that ownership of Leon Dinosaur was with Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council, the last thing it can claim is good faith. Incompetence perhaps in failing to keep proper records. Why when I initially engaged and then more recently  repeated a request for information was the documentation which must exist not revealed ?

Beyond this failure I would ask how members of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council not be aware and ask about the demise of Leon Dinosaur as a community asset they oversee ?  If Leon Dinosaur were the property of Milton Keynes Council why did its members covering East Bletchley ignore the situation ?

Why did a member of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council attack me on social media when I first started to campaign to save Leon Dinosaur ?

Considerable frustration and anger has developed within the support base over the inaccurate and false information suggested within this post.

I have made a Freedom Of Information Request to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council seeking to obtain the name of the author of this posting and where within the elected council authority was given for such.

Not part of such a request  but I find myself pondering:

·       Who holds the key to the gate on the fencing surrounding the dinosaur ?

·       Who oversaw the current graffiti painting of the dinosaur and when ?

It would be interesting to know if such can be found within Bletchley & fenny Stratford Town Council ?

Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council has shown itself to be an incompetent and disrespectful body in allowing Leon Dinosaur to decompose ton its present state. It has disrespected the community it represents, disrespected Leon School Headmaster Bruce Abbott, disrespected Community Artist Bill Billings and disrespected the Leon School students who were involved in the original project. This is nothing short of a scandal !

Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council has clearly shown itself unfit to be responsible for Leon Dinosaur’s future. Talk of community consultation and that reported in the media could be regarded to simply sweep failure under the carpet and avoid liability.

Leon Dinosaur is a citywide asset and NOT confined to East Bletchley.  I would repeat Headmaster Bruce Abbott’s intention for it to be the first thing seen from the train heading North into the new city.

Community consultation has already taken place within my campaign. Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council has proven itself an unfit body to undertake such a community consultation.

Within my complaint against Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council the following is included offering a way forward:

It is my suggestion that ownership of Leon Dinosaur be placed into the hands of a small group of trustees and removed from Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council.

Given responsibility for the present situation Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council must finance repairs and removal of Leon Dinosaur to a new location. I would invite the council to then make a yearly grant to the trustees to maintain the statue.

Given the thinking of Leon School Headmaster that the statue being located at the bottom of the school field would make it the first thing seen by train passengers from the South when entering Milton Keynes and the last seen when travelling in the opposite direction, there is only one place Leon Dinosaur can be relocated from its present position and that is to where Headmaster Abbott had it built. Co-operation and support from the present Leon School will be required but the burden of responsibility need not to be placed on its shoulders, such being with the trustees. I would ask the present school to celebrate all that Leon Dinosaur stands for and raise such celebration within the heritage of Milton Keynes.

Speaking on a personal note, as the original project co-ordinator I would like to see a plaque placed with the dinosaur acknowledging and thanking Headmaster Bruce Abbott for the idea, Community Artist Bill Billings for turning that idea into reality and all Leon School Students involved in the construction.

Leon Dinosaur has within its body a time capsule reflecting life in the 1990’s, this was put together by Leon School students. I would suggest to present students they put together a time capsule which could be buried adjacent to the dinosaur on the school field reflecting life in the 2020’s.

There now follows comments made by some of the 260+ supporters of Leon Dinosaur:

Within the signing of the petition the following comments have been made. I have removed the names of the petitioners but haver reproduced their comments EXACTLY as given without any editing. Please note the consensus of Leon Dinosaur being a city issue and not that of the limited geographical area covered by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council.

·       This dinosaur was my childhood its deserves better treatment

·       I remember seeing it from the train before the trees hid it and knew I was almost home, I would like it to be a,restored and b, restored to it's original location where it was safer than where it is now.

·       It's Miton Keynes History , needs to be saved , thanks

·       Art should be restored . This is part of a valuable MK history timeline. We must preserve our heritage

·       I went to leon in late 70s we used to go Down to the and Dinosaur and smoke or bunked off 1 class they never came and looked down to here, we saw him every day its Leon its our history bring him home xxc

·       This was part of my childhood

·       The dinosaur is part of local history. Needs to be protected.

·       Bill Billing’s art is part and parcel of MK Heritage. This piece should be treasured.

·       This is a monument to a local talented artist which should be preserved

·       I would like to see the Leon school dinosaur,as it was called when I was younger, put back into it's correct position and be completely restored . It took many hands of children and adults to make some they could be so proud off

·       Because culture counts

·   I grow up with this dinosaur he should have never been moved from Leon school he is a landmark

·       Bletchley Dinosaur is not just a sculpture but a symbol of our community's history and identity. It has become a familiar and comforting sight to generations of Bletchley residents, and its loss would be deeply felt. We urge you to invest in the necessary restoration work to ensure that this unique piece of public art can continue to bring joy and inspiration to our community for generations to come

·       I was one of the students that helped build the dinosaur and I was the one that designed it..

·  I went to Leon school and loved seeing the dinosaur at the bottom of the playing fields, especially when I moved to London and coming back to visit on the train I would look forward to seeing it. So sad what has been allowed to happen.

·       This may only be a local thing, not a national monument but, this is our history, the people who lived in and around the Bletchley, Lakes Estate area.

·       It's part of MK legacy. This and the Peartree Triceratops. Granted to today's standards it looks poor especially given its neglect but its not about aesthetics. Its about MK history.

·       This dinosaur is a testament to the artist, and all the students involved in its creation. It has to be saved and the local council must accept responsibility for neglecting it for as long as they have!

·      The Town Council need to be held to account. They have just put up the Council Tax by 9%. Where is all the money going?

·       We love that dinosaur &;my son was involved with the making of it

It could be perhaps thought there is some kind of conspiracy to hide the truth and protect Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council’s situation. Strange and unsigned letters from Milton Keynes City Council on plain sheets of paper. No acknowledgement of the complaint. Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council failing to engage with the strong support base gathering around Leon Dinosaur.

In concluding this presentation I would ask any future media reporting be accurate and not help Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council evade its responsibility. Please respect those who were involved in the original project.

Sincerely

David J B Ashford

https://www.change.org/LeonDinosaur