Flying in to a new role
Mike Beecham Chairman at Lincolnshire County Council
Former glider pilot Mike Beecham will be at the controls for the next year as he begins his new role as chairman at Lincolnshire County Council.
Tasked with leading council chamber proceedings for the next 12 months, Cllr Beecham, who takes on the role from outgoing chairman Cllr Stephen Bunney, says he wants to make sure the flight path is clear for the council this year.
The former beekeeper, who is the elected councillor for Alford and Sutton, has always had an interest in local politics but actually decided to do something about it when he returned to Lincolnshire from Taunton to live in Horncastle some 20 years ago.
“I started to attend town council meetings, just as a member of the public, but a vacancy came up and I was co-opted onto the council in 2019,” he said. “I enjoyed the involvement very much and eventually became Mayor of Horncastle in 2024, which was an absolute privilege.”
As well as overseeing council meetings, the role of chairman is a civic, non-political role, in which Cllr Beecham will act as ambassador for the council at a number of events throughout the year.
Money raised during his time at the helm will be donated to Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance. “It’s hard to believe that this vital emergency service doesn’t receive funding from central government, it survives purely on fund-raising and donations and it is very important that it does survive,” he said.
