John was born in Driffield, Yorkshire on 25th October 1944. The family moved to the Sherwood area after his father's RAF service ended and then moved to the City Centre in 1952.

John attended Haydn Road Infant School and Huntingdon Infant and Junior School.

CJohn started employment with the National Coal Board in September 1960 as an Apprentice Electrician, and after working at several local collieries, worked at Hucknall Colliery from 1966, serving as an Electrician for 22 years. The NCB gave John the opportunity of day release, which enabled him to achieve the qualification of HNC in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

John married a local girl in 1969 and had a family of 3 boys but, sadly, the marriage ended in divorce in 1981.

During the early years of the 1970's, two events occurred which were to prove important to John's development. The first was the growing incidence of industrial unrest within the mining industry, which caused John to become intensely involved in the trade union. The second was the then City Council's plan to create a City Centre Civic Centre. This plan meant that John's and many other houses were to be demolished. John formed a Tenants Association to fight against the proposals.

The Association failed in its primary task, but was instrumental in forming a Citywide coalition of Tenants Associations which campaigned successfully for the abolition and modification of the Council's demolition programme. These two events were to politicise John and make him realise that to change policies and events he had to be "in the kitchen".

The demolition of John's home in 1974 meant that his family was rehoused in a new property in Top Valley, which became part of a new City Ward - Bestwood Park. John was selected to fight this Ward for the Labour Party in the 1979 Election, which he won. He has been re-elected at each election up to the present time.

John has served on most of the major Committees of the Council and in 1984 was elected Chair of the newly formed Environment Committee. He held this position, except for 18 months, until 1999.

John has introduced many new policies, procedures and systems into the Environment Department, which have been innovative and forward thinking. His major achievement has been the introduction of an Environment Policy into the core policies of the Council.

Issued by: The Civic Office The Council House Old Market Square Nottingham

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