A new Chair has been elected of Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) for a three-year term.

Lee Hardy OBE was previously Vice Chair.

Born in Poole, he has lived in the area all his life.

Lee enjoyed a distinguished career with the Royal Navy.

Latterly he led a UK Overseas Territory and served as a marine and maritime adviser within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

He is now closely engaged in the blue economy, leading projects designed to counter illegality at sea, particularly in relation to fishing or anything which is harmful to the oceans.

Lee joined PHC as a Commissioner in 2019.

He holds a number of other positions, including Chair of the Dorset Catchment Partnership, Vice Chair of Dorset Coast Forum and the Dorset Local Nature Partnership and a Trustee of Poole Sea Cadets.

Lee said: “I am honoured to take up the position of Chair of PHC.

“I look forward to working alongside the entire team to address the fresh challenges and exciting opportunities which await PHC as we develop our new Port Master Plan.”

The new Vice Chair, Martin Pate, is a Solicitor and Managing Director of MJP Law, a legal practice based in Dorset.

He started his career with the London Metropolitan Police and then the Department of Transport and Environment in London, working for a number of departments and agencies.

A keen sailor, qualified to RYA Offshore Yacht Master, he is a former Commodore of East Dorset Sailing Club in Poole and has been on the PHC Board since 2018.

Poole Harbour Commissioners has also welcomed Steven Young, pictured left, to the Board.

He has spent over 45 years in the maritime industry.

Initially at sea as a Master Mariner with P&O/Princess Cruises, he then spent 20 years in senior roles in the ports sector including Harbour Master Southampton and Executive General Manager and Harbour Master Sydney, Australia.

Steven returned to the shipping sector and spent nine years with Carnival UK (P&O and Cunard) as Vice President, Port and Shore Operations, before retiring from full-time employment.

In addition to Poole Harbour Commissioners, Steven is a Non-Executive Director of Solent Stevedores Ltd.

PHC operate a Trust Port and are tasked with managing Poole Harbour – Europe’s largest natural harbour renowned both nationally and internationally as being of vital ecological importance – and the busy commercial Port of Poole.

The port handles a wide variety of maritime traffic including Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries services to France, Spain and the Channel Islands.

The port also handles bulk cargoes such as steel, grain, aggregates, timber, bricks and clay.

Other important activities include Channel Seaways (which operates a liner service to the Channel Islands), cruise ships, superyachts, military vessels and yacht transfer liners.

Poole Harbour is home to some 7,500 yachts and PHC operates two multi-award winning marinas.

The organisation is currently working on a new Master Plan, setting out its vision for the next 25 years.

A consultation exercise will begin early next year.