Alexander Stewart MacDonald is a Scottish Labour Party local government councillor.
Background
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.
Career
He was elected to the East Kirkintilloch and Twechar Ward of in the 2007 election. He was a director of the East Dunbartonshire Municipal Bank between 2007 and 2015 and the East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust from 2010 to the present. 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.
While he was a student, Stewart MacDonald played drums in a number of rock 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 Motability Specialist after transferring to the Tomkins branch in Glasgow"s East End in 1997.
The company was taken over by the Arnold Clark organisation in 2006.
As Motability Specialist, Stewart MacDonald looked after the needs of vehicle users with disabilities throughout their contracts. This experience led to him becoming a volunteer with the Kirkintilloch Citizens" Advice Bureau from 2004 to 2006 and to study Democracy and Social Policy with the Open University where he gained a Bachelor of Science with Honours. In July 2009, Stewart MacDonald left Arnold Clark to work at Airdrie Citizens" Advice Bureau.
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 Grad. Medical School) against the poll tax and the abolition of Student Grants.
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.
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 including Housing and Community Services, where he is vice-convenor, and the Housing Appeals Panel where he is convenor.
He also represents on the Hillhead Housing Association and Antonine Housing Association"s Management Committees.
Stewart MacDonald is married.
Politics
Scottish Labour Party, Labour Party.
Membership
Stewart MacDonald is also a member of Kirkintilloch Community Council and the Bridgeton Burns Club. He became a member of Kirkintilloch Community Council in 2003 and stood as Labour"s candidate for the Chapelton Ward of in 2003 where he was defeated by the Liberal Democrat candidate, Fiona Callison. He is currently vice-chair of the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East Constituency Labour Party and is a member of the General and Municipal Boilermakers Union Trade Union.