New chairman for East Dorset

Councillors at East Dorset District Council voted unanimously to elect Steven Lugg as the council’s new chairman on 18 May.

The chairman’s charity objectives for his year in office are to help support the homeless and to offer assistance to local young adults transitioning into work. He will be supporting PASHA who run three homeless hostels, and the John Thornton Young Achiever’s Foundation, so they can offer further support to the Ferndown Upper School Centre of Excellence and Industrial Liaison.

Councillor Lugg was born and grew up in North Dorset before joining the army at the age of 16. In 1997 he and his family were posted back to Dorset and have remained here ever since.

He left the military in 2004 after 24 years, and recently became a Yeoman of the Queen’s Bodyguard. He and his wife Catherine live in Ferndown and have five grown-up children, as well as being foster carers for Bournemouth Borough Council. Like his father, his son Rhys is now serving in the Household Cavalry.

A management accountant, Councillor Lugg is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and has a PG Dip in Not for Profit Management. He currently works full-time in Hampshire and is also a trustee of the Ferndown Community Association and chairman of the Ferndown Central PACT. He was previously chairman and treasurer of East Dorset Mencap.

Upon his new appointment Councillor Lugg said: “To be able to lead the East Dorset District council is quite an honour indeed. I am keen to spread awareness about the good work of the council, particularly to local organisations, and am proud to be an ambassador.”

The council also elected Cllr David Shortell as vice chairman and Cllr Ian Monks as leader of the council.

The chairman of the council is the civic head of the council while the leader of the council is the political head.

East Dorset District Council has 29 councillors who are elected by the public every four years. They represent 16 different wards of East Dorset.