Born in Kettering, Northants, John was educated in Wellingborough and went on to graduate from Cambridge as an economist statistician. He now lives in Finedon with his wife and is the Conservative County Councillor for the division of Finedon.
He was elected to Wellingborough Urban District Council in 1967, as a Conservative Councillor for Finedon – the first Conservative to represent Finedon for over 30 years and was the Mayor of the Borough of Wellingborough 1976-7 and 2004-5. John remains a member of Wellingborough Borough Council, having served continuously for 38 years and has been Leader since 2006.
Elected to Northamptonshire County Council in 1970, John has held the post of Vice-Chairman of the County Council, Chair of the Leisure and Libraries Committee, and has served on the Education, Health, and Police Committees.
John was re-elected as a County Councillor in June 2009 and is Vice-Chairman of Strategic Support Services Scrutiny Committee. He is also a member of the Pensions Committee, Personnel Committee, and the Archives Advisory Panel.
John has written and published three historical books on the town of Finedon and for many years has been the Archivist of Finedon Parish Church where he looks after the valuable parish library and church records. He also researches many requests for genealogical information; the income generated being put to the Church Restoration Fund.