One of the leading local government figures in Bourne in recent years has been John Kirkman who represented the town at all three levels of local government, town, district and county, for almost three decades.

He finally quit politics in March 2007 and his decision was a loss to the local government scene because he was well versed in his knowledge of council affairs, particularly rules of procedure and committee work, and although some did not agree with his exacting standards, there is little doubt that he was always right.

John Alfred Kirkman was born at Boston on 14th December 1939 and attended the Staniland Primary School before moving to Boston Grammar School in 1951 where he achieved A levels in mathematics, physics and chemistry, although his preferred strength was in sport, playing at county level in soccer and athletics.

On leaving school in 1958, he joined the Meteorological Office, becoming a civil servant with the Ministry of Defence, and was sent to RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, as an observer and then in 1964 to RAF Laarbruch in West Germany. Returning to Britain in 1967, he was sent to the radio-sonde station at Aughton, near Ormskirk, Lancashire, where he received his first promotion through the Civil Service Commission and two years later was posted to the rocket research station at RAF Aberporth in West Wales until 1974 when he moved to RAF Wittering, near Stamford, on promotion as a forecaster.

John had married Jean Taylor, a former pupil at the Kitwood Girls' School in Boston, in April 1961, when she was working as a professional photographer, and they have two daughters, Julia, born in Germany in 1967, and Bridget, born in Wales in 1971. They chose to live at Bourne, buying a family home in Stephenson Way in May 1974 and have remained there ever since, a convenient choice for his last posting to RAF Cottesmore, near Stamford, in 1981 soon after the base re-opened as the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment and it was here that he received his last promotion to Senior Meteorological Officer, retiring in December 1999 at the age of 60.

By now he had become involved with local affairs, successfully seeking election to Bourne Town Council in 1979 as an independent candidate, serving as Mayor of Bourne on two occasions, from 1985-86 and again from 2000-01. In 1983, he won his seat on South Kesteven District Council for Bourne East and in 1989 was elected to Lincolnshire County Council for the Bourne Abbey division.

Representing the town at all three levels of local government was arduous and the hours long and in the spring of 2005, when deciding not to seek re-election for the county council seat after 16 years, he explained the commitment needed. "A back bench councillor carries out an average 150 hours a month on county council work", he said. "That's 1,800 hours a year and to get £6,000 in allowances is less than the minimum wage."

This was not however a case of the rate for the job but of hours expended to the detriment of other activities. "Sixteen years is not as much as some", he told the local newspapers, "but it is a long period and during that time the commitment required has increased, particularly so over the last two to three years, and these responsibilities are likely to increase significantly. Having fully considered this commitment, I have come to the decision that I no longer wish to give so much of my time undertaking those duties but will, instead, use it to the benefit of my family and myself."

In September 2006, he unexpectedly resigned from Bourne Town Council after serving for 27 years, his departure coming after several acrimonious disputes in the council chamber over the continued absence of a fellow councillor, Derrick Crump. The following year, in March 2007, he decided to quit politics altogether and announced his intention not to stand for re-election to SKDC, that last remaining authority to which he belonged, having held his Bourne East seat since 1983 and served as chairman for the year 2005-06. He said in a statement that since he first took office, the duties of councillors had increased considerably and the arduous workload precluded other private activities, an omission he intended to put right by playing more golf, pursuing more leisure activities and taking more holidays.

His past public record however, remains impressive, notably as a former member of the Lincolnshire Police Authority and as the current chairman of the governors of the Abbey Church of England Primary Academy in Bourne and of Bourne United Charities during 2004-05, and he remains a trustee. He was also noted in Bourne for his work at election time, insisting on knocking on every door in his ward to show his face, answer questions and seek support for another term, a tiring and time consuming task but one that he completes at every election.

Despite his commitment to local affairs, he maintained a busy private life gardening, dabbling in watercolour painting and playing golf, a game to which he was introduced in Germany and has played ever since, although it is a constant battle to reduce his handicap. He and Jean also derive great pleasure from their family and as an added bonus, daughter Bridget and her husband Darren made their home in Bourne with their two children Ethan and Ellie.

“We have always said that you cannot put a financial value on the benefit of living in a town like Bourne”, he said. “There are problems, difficulties and often annoyances, and perhaps too much growth, but in spite of all that, it is a good place to live and bring up a family. It has been a busy time as a councillor, council chairman and mayor because it has given us the opportunity to sing the praises of Bourne whenever we can.”

REVISED DECEMBER 2011

See also

Why Bourne will not be getting a bypass

Why I have resigned     The council tax - a brief explanation