Lincolnshire unitary authority “to go back on the table”

A special 100th birthday portrait of the last living Dambuster, Lincolnshire-born George “Johnny” Johnson, has been unveiled and put up for public auction.

Dan Llywelyn Hall sat with Johnny in Bristol in 2018 before inviting him to an exhibition of all the Dambusters’ portraits he’d made for the 75th anniversary of the Dams Raid.

May 16, 2021 marks the 78th anniversary since the Dams Raid, which is widely regarded as one of the most audacious operations in military history. 133 men set off in 19 Lancasters to destroy Adolf Hitler’s power-generating dams, but sadly 53 did not return. The story went on to inspire the popular Dambusters film.

The ‘Last of the Dambusters’ portrait of Johnny will be on display at Roger Jones auction house in Cardiff and be in a public auction at 10.30am on May 14.

Proceeds will benefit the charity 617 Group, which Johnny Johnson is president of and he is due to turn 100 years old on November 25 this year.

Artist Dan Llywelyn Hall sitting with George “Johnny” Johnson in Bristol in 2018. | Photo: Richard Brewis

Llywelyn Hall was the youngest artist to portray the Queen in 2013 and in 2009 he painted a portrait of the Last Tommy – Harry Patch. He has also painted portraits of popular entertainers such as Amy Winehouse and Barbara Windsor, as well as the Duke of Cambridge.

He said: “There is something poignant in depicting the last of a generation. Johnny – has with great eloquence – been a spokesman for his comrades about this contentious moment in history- and with asserted moral justification.

“This portrait marks that moment of a man at a milestone, the last voice.

“None of Bomber Command doing Churchill’s dirty work were properly recognised with a medal and the question remains: As a result, the likes of Johnny have had to make the moral argument for themselves as this slight of public recognition eluded them.”

The full portrait of George “Johnny” Johnson. | Portrait: Dan Llywelyn Hall

Johnny Johnson, who was born in Hameringham near Horncastle in 1921, said he “enthusiastically recognises” himself in the artist’s work and said with an approving smile that it’s “typical” of Dan’s portraits.

He said: “I look forward to my century and I am honoured to still be able to represent the men who went on the Dams Raid.

“It would be excellent if a new petition could finally see Bomber Command finally recognised with a medal.”

Speaking in 2018 after being given a consolation ribbon, he said: “Mine is still in the box, and there it will stay until we get a medal.”

People aged 38 to 39 will be able to book their COVID-19 vaccines from Thursday, as the Prime Minister announced a public inquiry into the pandemic response and a new commission to honour lost loved ones.

Bookings for vaccinations will open on May 13, and 38 and 39-year-olds can sign up for their appointment on the NHS website.

The Prime Minister appeared before the House of Commons on Wednesday to confirm an independent inquiry would be launched in Spring 2022 to examine the government’s response to the pandemic over the past year-and-a-half.

Speaking to MPs, Mr Johnson told the chamber: “There is a solemn duty on the whole United Kingdom to come together and cherish the memories of those who have been lost.”

He said he had been “deeply moved” during his visit to the COVID Memorial Wall opposite Parliament and supported a more permanent feature in St Paul’s Cathedral.

However, he added: “I also know that communities across the whole country will want to find ways of commemorating what we have all been through.”

The new commission will support efforts to: “remember loved ones we have lost; honour the heroism of those who have saved lives and the courage of frontline workers who have kept our country going; celebrate the genius which created the vaccines; and commemorate the small acts of kindness, and the sacrifice of millions who stayed at home buying time for our scientists to come to our rescue.”

Mr Jonson said the “right moment” for the public inquiry was Spring 2022 and said lessons must be learned together.

Consultation will take place with the devolved nations so the inquiry can consider “all key aspects of the UK response”.

He added the inquiry “must not divert or distract the people on whom we depend at the peak of our struggle”, he said.

“The end of lockdown is not the end of the pandemic,” he said.

“The World Health Organisation has said that the pandemic has now reached its global peak and will last throughout this year.

“Our own scientific advisors judge that although more positive data is coming in and the outlook is improving, there could still be another resurgence in hospitalisations and deaths,” he added.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking to the House of Commons on May 12.

The prime minister said no public inquiry could take place fast enough to assist with the difficult judgements that will remain throughout the rest of the year.

He says: “This process will place the state’s actions under the microscope” and the time and efforts that people will have to go to to give evidence will put a “significant burden” on the NHS, the government, scientific advisors and many others.

He added the inquiry must be able to look at the events over the past year in “the cold light of day” and identify issues which will make a difference in the future.

The inquiry will be free “to scrutinise every document, to hear from all the key players,” he said. “That’s the right way to get the answers that the people of this country deserve.”

Plans for 121 new homes in Bourne have been accused of adding “zero extra” to the town – but councillors could not give a viable reason to refuse it.

South Kesteven District Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead to the proposals from Larkfleet Homes and The Bettinson Trustees for land at Manning Road, on Wednesday.

Objectors to the plans said the proposals were out of keeping with the character of the area, on land designated as employment and raised concerns over traffic on Manning Road.

Bourne Town Councillor Anna Kelly said the site was “beautiful” and that the developers were “really lucky” to get it.

She praised the design process for ensuring the site was going to face the town and “be a real asset”.

However, she called for improvements to a footpath and footbridge to the west of the site to be made more suitable for walkers.

Hannah Guy, planning manager at Larkfleet Homes said it was “absolutely not a problem” to make improve footpaths within the site, but added those outside the boundary were third-party ownership and out of their remit.

Council officers told members the footbridge upgrade was desirable but there were no policies in place to tackle the issue as part of the plans. They added that the county council’s footpath authority had not asked for it to be improved in their response.

“The development is only required to wash its own face and it does do that in your offices assessment,” said legal advisor Martha Rees.

Councillor Robert Reid said he was let down by the lack of improvements to the footbridge, the school drop-off or parking.

“I have absolutely no [policy] reasons for why I am unable to recommend anything other than approval – but this gives absolutely zero extra to our community,” he said.

“I feel grossly let down on behalf of Bourne that this is the way it is,” he said, before adding, however: “The law is as it is.”

SKDC Planning committee on May 12.

Other councillors raised concerns over a lack of bungalows, climate change improvements and traffic.

The plans include 36 homes classed as affordable along with open space and a small children’s play area along the western front.

A new spine road that provides access to the proposed dwellings from Manning Road is also planned.

The applicants will also be asked to pay a total of £688,972 towards education, health and open space provision in the area.