MK Council complaint re Leon Dinosaur

The Chief Executive Officer

Milton Keynes City Council

1 Saxon Gate East

Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ

Dear Sir

I am obliged to file a formal complaint against Milton Keynes Council for its negligence bringing about the demise of Leon Dinosaur and its failure to engage across a period of fifteen months to save this valued landmark from ultimate destruction. In filing this complaint I have the support of a vast area of our community. There will shortly be launched a petition enabling these good people to formally file their support.

The construction of the dinosaur was the idea of Leon School Headmaster Bruce Abbott. He made me its project co-ordinator. To turn Bruce’s idea into reality I engaged Milton Keynes community artist Bill Billings who worked with Leon School students to construct the statue. Both Bruce and Bill are no longer with us. It falls, therefore, to me to bring to account the failing of Milton Keynes Council and attempt to salvage the destruction its negligence has brought about.

This complaint contains the following elements:

·   Milton Keynes Council’s failure to respond to my letter of 15^th February 2023. Neither to acknowledge receipt nor to reply.

·       In November 2021 someone from the Lakes Estate Regeneration Programme did engage with me. We agreed to meet at a later date, to discuss the situation and see what could be done to ensure repair and relocating the statue. Fifteen months later I am still waiting for this meeting to happen.

·       Milton Keynes Council is responsible for the demise of the statue over an extended period of time.

My letter of 15^th February 2023:

This was a positive attempt to set aside past failures and seek a happy outcome. I am here complaining that Milton Keynes Council elected not to so engage. I received neither the courtesy of an acknowledgement nor that of a reply. I, therefore, am left to assume either Milton Keynes Council has a sub-standard administration system or it is electing to allow Leon Dinosaur to fall into total destruction.

NOT PART OF THIS COMPLAINT but I would here place on record that copies of my letter of 15^th February 2023 were sent for reference to Iain Stewart – Member of Parliament for the constituency where Leon Dinosaur stands, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council and to Leon School. NOT ONE OF THESE PARTIES HAS ENGAGED AND REPLIED ! However, I do need to place on record the fact that school half-term fell within the time between my letter and this complaint.

Undertakings by Lakes Estate Regeneration Team in November 2021 have not been followed up:

If such had been honoured the present extended situation of deterioration would not be the case. The following message was sent to me by a concerned member of the public.

Milton Keynes Council is leaving people to wonder just how serious it is regarding the area’s overall regeneration.

Milton Keynes Council is responsible for the demise of the statue over an extended period of time:

Milton Keynes Council became responsible for this iconic statue and its place within the heritage of our city. Neglecting its responsibility has brought about the present sorry situation. In so doing Milton Keynes Council has disrespected residents, Headmaster Bruce Abbott, Community Artist Bill Billings and all Leon School Students who were part of the construction project. I am also within this area of complaint specifically calling to account the elected Milton Keynes Councillors representing the Lakes Estate who have stood by and allowed such a sad situation to come about.

That now concludes my complaint against Milton Keynes Council which I will make sure is duly processed and a happy outcome achieved, in so far as the repair and relocation of the dinosaur is concerned. Aside from the complaint I am prepared, as the project’s original co-ordinator, to return to my attempt on 15^th February 2023 to positively achieve that needed to save Leon Dinosaur. I will work with anyone to bring about such but will not engage with anyone who has a party political agenda.

A public petition, as I explained earlier, is part of the plan to formally organise the support Leon Dinosaur already has with the community.

Copies of this letter are being sent to the media inviting support.

Leon Dinosaur features in my books NOT THE CONCRETE COWS – published 1994 and MILTON KEYNES THE CITY OF LEGEND – published 20^th December 2022. Within this sequel to Not The Concrete Cows I am seeking to raise awareness of our City’s heritage and to rescue some lost legends. Leon Dinosaur is not a lost legend but something actively being destroyed by the negligence of Milton Keynes Council.

Milton Keynes Council has destroyed a number of fundamental areas within Milton Keynes Development Corporation’s Strategic Plan, it must not be allowed to continue the destruction of Leon Dinosaur, the legend behind it and its rightful place within our City’s heritage.

Please reply IN WRITING AND NOT BY E-MAIL within seven days to acknowledge receipt of this complaint. Then please bring about a resolution as a matter of extreme urgency.

Yours faithfully

David J B Ashford