Luke Connell commenced with Baw Baw Shire Council on Monday 18 March as the new Director of Planning and Development and his work is already well underway.
Over nearly 20 years, Luke has built a strong career in Local Government beginning with the City of Kingston as a Strategic Planner in 2005.
Over a span of more than 2.5 years at Kingston, Luke contributed strongly to the city’s strategic planning initiatives, after which he transitioned to the City of Greater Dandenong as a Town Planner for Major Projects. There he dedicated more than three years in shaping significant urban developments.
Luke’s career then progressed with many senior leadership roles at the City of Casey, one of the fastest growing and largest municipalities in Victoria.
Most recently, he has spent nearly eight years at Cardinia Shire Council where he has left a lasting legacy, playing a pivotal role in the growth, planning and design of the area.
Luke is well respected across the Local Government sector and said he can’t wait to leverage his experience and passion for local government within Baw Baw.
“I’m really excited to work closely with the council officers, councillors and community to continue to plan and service the amazing existing and new communities within the Baw Baw Shire,” Luke said.
“The diversity of considerations and landscapes within the Shire is an exciting prospect to learn more about, and strengthen the understanding of what makes our community such a great place to live.”
Just three days into the role, Luke said he’s had a busy few days.
“The welcome I received when first walking through the doors to Baw Baw and all the way through the office has been amazing. I feel like I’ve been a part of the organisation for more than three days,” he said.
“It has been a busy few days being introduced to many new faces but also reacquainting myself with staff I’ve worked with previously across other organisations. My focus for now is listening to what we need to focus on in our directorate, and how we can collaborate across the organisation to deliver great outcomes.”
Luke will oversee the Planning and Development directorate, which includes the areas of Community Safety, Compliance and Strategic Planning.
Baw Baw Shire Council Chief Executive Officer Mark Dupe welcomed Luke to the organisation and said he looked forward to drawing on his wealth of knowledge and experience.
“Luke will bring a lot to not only the role of Planning Director, but to the entire Baw Baw Shire community. We are thrilled to have him here with us and I look forward to seeing the impact his work has,” Mark said.
