Stewart MacDonald
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Cllr. Stewart MacDonald is a Scottish Labour Party local government councillor. He was elected to the East Kirkintilloch and Twechar Ward of East Dunbartonshire Council in the 2007 election. Stewart MacDonald is also a member of Kirkintilloch Community Council and the Bridgeton Burns Club.
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[edit] Early life
Stewart MacDonald was born in Glasgow in 1967 and educated at Lenzie Academy where he was an active member of the School Debating Society, the Pupils' Council, and also worked on the independently funded and published Pupils' Own magazine. One of his teachers was Abraham (Abie) Vaughn, a Conservative Councillor for the then Strathkelvin District Council.
Stewart MacDonald was awarded colours by the school for his work in inter-schools debating competitions.
On leaving school, he worked in sales before attending Glasgow Polytechnic in 1989 where he gained an HND in Business Studies. During this time, Stewart MacDonald played drums in a number of bands including Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants.
On graduation, he joined Sainsbury's as a Management Trainee where he worked in Edinburgh, Sheffield, London and Chatham. He left to join John Menzies in 1993 during which time he ran the Alness store.
In 1995, Stewart MacDonald joined Gillespie of Lenzie, becoming the Motability Specialist after transferring to the Tomkins branch in Glasgow's East End in 1997. As Motability Specialist, Stewart MacDonald looks after the needs of over 650 clients with disabilities throughout their vehicle contracts. This experience led to him becoming a volunteer with the Kirkintilloch Citizens Advice Bureau and to study Democracy and Social Policy with the Open University where he gained a BSc. with Honours.
[edit] Political life
During his time at Glasgow Polytechnic, Stewart MacDonald took part in a number of campaigns and demonstrations organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) against the Poll Tax and the abolition of Student Grants.
He became a member of Kirkintilloch Community Council in 2003 and stood as Labour's candidate for the Chapelton Ward of East Dunbartonshire Council in 2003 where he was defeated by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Fiona Callison.
He took part in the February 15, 2003 anti-war protest march against the invasion of Iraq organised by the Stop the War Coalition.
In 2005, Stewart MacDonald gave a speech on behalf of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Constituency Labour Party to the Scottish Labour Party Conference on the minimum wage.
He is currently vice-chair of the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Constituency Labour Party and secretary of the Strathkelvin and Bearsden Scottish Parliamentary Forum.
[edit] East Dunbartonshire Council
In the 2007 Local Government Election, Stewart MacDonald was returned as one of three councillors for East Kirkintilloch and Twechar Ward, where he also lives.
He sits on a number of committees with East Dunbartonshire Council including Connect Services, where he is vice-convenor, and the Housing Appeals Panel where he is convenor. He also represents East Dunbartonshire Council on the Hillhead Housing Association and Antonine Housing Association's Management Committees.
Stewart MacDonald is married.
