A long term resident of Huyton, John worked for over 30 years for the Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. For most of his career he worked in the Benefits Section and what he didn’t know about the benefit rights of people in Knowsley wasn’t worth knowing. He helped thousands access the right type of benefit to maximise the income levels of households in the borough.
John was appointed as Knowsley’s first Access Officer and had the task of supporting the authority in its planning to ensure its compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. He contributed to many projects and programmes the authority undertook in determining its compliance. He supported many departments including Design, Planning Asset Management and Education. He delivered DDA training to every new licensed private hire taxi driver wishing to operate within the Knowsley boundary.
John was Knowsley’s representative on the National and Regional Access Associations, Merseytravel Access Panel and his in-depth knowledge of disability issues and in particular the interpretation of the DDA was sought by many people far and wide.
John established Knowsley first Access Group which was represented by many local disability organisations, disabled residents, families and carers. The Access Group discussed a wide range of topics that affected disabled people in their daily lives. The Group became a consultative body for the local authority on many planning issues, which included the new accessible leisure centre in Halewood, for which John provided many hours supporting the department on recommendations on access issues.
He contributed to many other projects including the Disability Employment project, carrying out access audits for local voluntary, community and faith organisations in his own time.
John was a gentle man, with a wonderful supportive family, a great Christian faith, a huge heart and capacity to use it to support those people who had less of an experience that they had a right to.
Lila Bennett
Friend and Colleague
Chair
Knowsley Disability Forum |
