Leader, Rochford District Residents since 2024
Leader of the Council: 2023-2024.
John gained an Honours Degree in Plant Biology and Ecology from Queen Mary College (London University) in 1972 where he started an Eco Action Group even before the Friends of the Earth became influential. Thereafter he joined the NatWest Group. He added to his academic qualifications with an HNC in Business Studies (Distinction) and became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (A.C.I.B.)
He has had a senior management career in the City and Credit Cards over 33 years at the cutting edge of developing customer service and Change Management. He retired from the financial services sector in 2005 but has also enjoyed a second career at one of our local secondary schools; Greensward Academy.
John has remained in touch with Natural Sciences having been elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society (F.L.S.).
John and Christine were married in 1975 and moved to the Rochford District where they have lived for 44 years. They have 2 young adult children, Bethany and Elliot.
John's career in local government started in 1980 in Hockley and during his term as a Parish Councillor he became Chairman of the Council for a wonderful year. In 1994 the community in Hawkwell pressed John to be the founder of the Hawkwell Residents' Association. In May 2000 he was elected to Rochford District Council to represent the Association in Hawkwell West Ward. As of 2019 he represented the community through the local political party he founded, Rochford District Residents (RDR). Whilst he had retired as a Councillor in 2019 he retained his role as Party Leader of RDR which is registered at The Electoral Commission.
In 2022 John returned as a Councillor representing Hockley Ward.