A PLYMOUTH-born ex-Jaguar worker has been inaugurated as Lord Mayor of Coventry for its year as UK City of Culture.
Coun John McNicholas says he is looking forward to helping Coventry celebrate the City of Culture, sharing its story and heritage and spreading its messages of peace, reconciliation and multiculturalism.
He is also eager to aid the city’s recovery from the effects of the pandemic and recognise its frontline heroes.
The father-of-two moved to Coventry to work at Jaguar’s Browns Lane car plant in 1978 where he spent 25 years until his retirement, including a spell as shop steward.
John was first elected onto as a councillor for Lower Stoke Ward 34 years ago in 1986 and has represented area since.
Senior council positions he has held range from Chair of the Personnel & Administration Committee to Chair of the Environment Committee and Transportation Lead.
Cabinet roles have included Cabinet Member for Environment and Cabinet Member for Transport and Regional Planning.
He has chaired the Business Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board and served on many bodies from the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee to the Communities and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Board and the Planning Committee.
John has also represented the city council on Birmingham International Airport Holdings Limited’s Board of Directors, as Leader of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority and on the West Midlands Combined Authority Transport Delivery Committee.
He currently sits on the Canal and River Trust West Midlands Regional Advisory Board and chairs the Coventry Canal Advisory Board.
Married to June. the couple have two children, Anna and Tom.
John’s hobbies include gardening, walking and he is a keen bridge player and sudoku solver.
An enthusiastic supporter of nature and wildlife issues, he plans to promote animal welfare and responsible pet ownership in his year as Lord Mayor.
