Councillor for Stoke Bishop
First elected in May 2002, John has been councillor for Stoke Bishop for 14 years. John has a well deserved reputation for supporting local community groups and residents and during this time John has achieved a great many things. He successfully fought off the last Council attempt to build on parks, improved his local play facilities with new childrens’ play area opened at Stoke and he continues to work with local residents on Neighbourhood Forum, Neighbourhood Partnership and SPRA to achieve community improvements.
John is passionate about preserving and improving the local environment. Trees and green spaces characterise Stoke Bishop, but they are constantly under threat. He was closely involved in the campaign to stop the recent green space sell off by Bristol City Council. He has campaigned to keep Stoke Lodge Parkland open to all residents and unfenced. He successfully opposed commercial development on the former Bristol and West site in the Avon Gorge and is delighted that the land has now been acquired by the Avon Wildlife Trust. This now creates a green arc around the southern perimeter of Stoke Bishop, adjoining the Old Sneyd Park Nature Reserve and the Woodland Trust.
John works tirelessly to improve his ward and fight for his constituents, over the coming years he plans to continue his efforts by; protecting his community from the impacts of the proposed South Gloucestershire housing development and consequent highways issues, keeping libraries in Sea Mills and Westbury open and serving the public, supporting community groups and residents associations in their work across the ward, ensuring the Downs area is preserved for the quiet enjoyment of residents, working with residents to reduce noise pollution from A4 Portway.
John has undertaken various roles within the Conservative Group on Bristol City Council including education and transport. He presently sits on the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee and is Conservative Chief Whip for Bristol.
A graduate of Cambridge University, John has spent a lifetime in financial services and also many years as a visiting university lecturer in finance, banking law and economics.
He is passionate about speaking up for Stoke Bishop and is involved in various local groups. He is a member of SPRA and is a school governor and chairman of the finance sub committee at Stoke Bishop School.
John and his wife have lived in the ward, since moving to Bristol in the 1980s.
