Beki aldam
Beki Aldam has been on the council since 2021. If re-elected for a second term she will continue her work with officers to mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on Stroud residents. In her ward, she will continue working with residents around improving and preserving the Brimscombe Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
She will also continue to run monthly drop-in councillor surgeries at Stroud Brewery, which give residents a chance to meet her informally and talk through any concerns. “Meeting residents and working with them to resolve their problems is one of the most important things about being a councillor,” she says.
Among Beki’s achievements has been bringing the cost-of-living crisis motion to Full Council, working with Green and alliance colleagues to ensure the council focused resources on helping residents, and supporting voluntary community organisations.
In her local area, Beki regularly supports residents and local businesses with a huge variety of issues, including planning queries and problems, supporting Tree Preservation Orders, and working with the PCSO to address the spate of vehicle thefts.
As part of her wish for a fairer and more representative democratic system, she was a speaker for the Migrant Democracy Project’s MPower Political Leadership Programme, which aims to empower first-generation migrants, through practical training sessions, to become candidates in local elections.
A keen cyclist, Beki also co-founded the Cargo Bikes of Stroud group and during the Covid lockdown started a book delivery service, cycling to residents’ homes to drop off books for them to read.
She organises and runs a monthly community bike ride where cyclists ride together from Brimscombe to Stroud town centre on market day.
She also runs the Stroud Brewery Film Club.
During her first term as a councillor, Beki has served as Chair of the Community Services & Licensing Committee, a role that involves working closely with officers as they work with community sector partners improving the health and wellbeing of residents. It also involves working with officers to develop and monitor council priorities such as the Community Safety Partnership, which – amongst other priorities – works to end violence and intimidation against women and girls. She regularly chairs licensing panels, listening to both sides of a disputed licence application and ensuring the community’s needs are met through enforcing the licensing principles.
She has also sat on the Strategy & Resources committee.
A former teacher, Beki works in qualification development and research for an awarding organisation. She has a BA in English and History, a Masters in Cultural History and a postgraduate teaching qualification.
She has lived in Stroud District for eight years and loves the area for its friendly, open-hearted people and its arts and culture scene.
Her wishes for the UK and the world would be a fairer voting system to replace First Past the Post, and more decisive global leadership on climate and social crises.
Locally, she would love to see more diversity in Stroud, and for the district to be a place where young people feel welcomed and fulfilled.
“We need more hope and less despair. Politicians should be taking our concerns in hand and finding positive ways to care for planet and people, instead of fomenting imaginary divisions whilst lining the pockets of their billionaire pals,” she says.