Car fire body is of ex-councillor (From Bucks Free Press)

Car fire body is of ex-councillor Tony Dunn

3:00pm Tuesday 23rd February 2010 in News By James Nadal

Car fire body is of ex-councillor

A FORMER councillor died from smoke inhalation and burn injuries in a car left on a country road, it was confirmed today.

The Buckinghamshire coroner’s office confirmed the body was that of Tony Dunn, 65, a former member of Marlow Town Council and Wycombe District Council.

Firefighters were called to the car fire in Henley Road, Medmenham at 2.11pm on Saturday.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Mr Dunn, of Terrington Hill, Marlow, had hit headlines in the last two years after being banned from political office over a planning row, a decision that cost him his job.

District council leader Councillor Lesley Clarke said: “Everyone who knew Tony at the district council and I am sure Marlow Town Council will be stunned to learn of his death under what appears to be tragic circumstances. “Our heart goes out to his family at this very sad time. I knew Tony well and will miss him greatly.

“He did a lot of good work for the district and Marlow in particular.”

Mr Dunn was suspended for one year by the Adjudication Panel for England in 2008 for his involvement in a planning row.

It found he failed to act with ‘honesty and integrity’.

As a result he was sacked two months later as head of asset management at Surrey County Council and was expelled from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors last June. He later overturned this.

At the time Mr Dunn told the Bucks Free Press that the consequences had been ‘enormous’ as he had struggled to find work.

He said he was fighting the RICS ban ‘as a matter of pride’. He said: “I don’t want people going around saying Tony Dunn is bent.”

Best friend and district councillor Doug Anson said Mr Dunn, who was in his mid-60s, said: “Some comments that would come back to me used to make me a bit livid because I knew the true Tony Dunn.”

He said: “You couldn’t get a more genuine man. I wish all people could be as straight as Tony Dunn.”

He said Mr Dunn felt his reputation had been damaged by the controversy – and even told Cllr Anson to distance himself from him ahead of an election last year, fearing it would hurt his chances.

Cllr Anson refused and said he would rather not stand than give up their friendship.

Cllr Anson, who also represents Marlow at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “He will be badly missed, not only by his friends such as myself.

“He was such a devoted family man, a devoted husband and father.”

Cllr Anson added: “I have lost my best friend, he wasn’t just a colleague or a councillor, we drank together, we laughed and joked together.”

District and county councillor David Carroll said he was “absolutely devastated”.

“I have known Tony for many years not only as a councillor but as a person, he’s well known for achieving a lot for Marlow. He was a person’s person.”

He said the pair used to banter about Cllr Carroll’s football team – Everton – the Merseyside rivals of Mr Dunn’s beloved Liverpool.

Mr Dunn recently spoke in the Bucks Free Press of his pride at appearing in a television documentary about his meeting with legendary Anfield boss Bill Shankly.

High Wycombe firefighters were called at 2.11pm on Saturday to the car fire.

Police spokesman Marianne Shaw said: “Thames Valley Police was called on Saturday to the unexplained death of a man in Medmenham, Marlow.

“At 2.35pm, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service notified officers to a car on fire by the side of the A4155 Henley Road, in which a man’s body was found.

“The incident is not thought to be suspicious and the matter has now been referred to the coroner’s office.”

Leave your tributes to Mr Dunn below or email bfpnews@london.newsquest.co.uk.