Former chief of Solihull Care Housing Association dies

John Sullivan, who also spent 10 years as director of housing at Coventry Council, died surrounded by his family on 20 March after a long fight against a malignant brain tumour.

Mr Sullivan had worked in the sector for more than 40 years. His family said he was inspired to dedicate his working life to housing after watching Ken Loach’s hard-hitting film ‘Cathy Come Home’. 

After completing a diploma in housing, his first role was as a housing assistant at Redditch Council.

His career then moved him to senior housing assistant in Newport and then to his role as assistant director of housing at Newcastle for several years from 1976.

As director of housing at Coventry Council, a role he had for over 10 years, Mr Sullivan had success in investing in the most difficult-to-let estates in Coventry, raising standards across the city, as well as introducing neighbourhood management, when it was then an innovative approach to tackling neighbourhood issues.

Mr Sullivan’s penultimate role was as housing director at Milton Keynes Development Corporation. John was appointed to co-ordinate and effect the transfer of significant Development Corporation housing stock to third party entities, and assist in the winding up of MKDC at the end of its successful 25 year life.

Despite having continued to work for nearly two years, following diagnosis and throughout aggressive chemo- and radiotherapy, Mr Sullivan recently retired, due to ill-health, as chief executive of Solihull Care Housing Association.

He had worked there since 1992, was their first CEO and built the organisation from a small housing association with a £75k per year turnover to a group organisation and charity with several schemes, ambitious developments and turnover of £5m plus per year.

Des Kelly OBE, executive director of the National Care Forum, said: ‘He was active in the formation of the Care Forum in the early 1990s and was a founder member of the National Care Forum in 2003.

‘He was a great supporter of the organisation and the important role of the not-for-profit sector in the provision of care and support services. He was championing the relationship between housing and care long before it was recognised by policymakers and planners. I remember him as a man of integrity with a real sense of fun.’

Sue Bent, chief executive of Coventry Law Centre and former colleague at Coventry City Council, said: ‘I worked with John in the 1980s when he first came to Coventry City Council and brought with him the idea of neighbourhood management.

‘John’s ideas were visionary. He was brave and persuasive and like all good leaders he took some risks to achieve his goal. He started a cultural shift that transformed housing management in Coventry.’

Mr Sullivan leaves a wife, two children, and four grandchildren. His family said he also left legacy of thousands of people he helped who will probably never know his name.

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