Published on 28 July 2025
After five years of dedicated service to Yass Valley Council, Julie Costa (pictured right) has been appointed as the new Director of Planning and Community at Liverpool Plains Shire Council.
During her tenure as Director of Planning and Environment at Yass Valley Council, Ms Costa provided critical planning leadership during a period of significant urban growth and expansion for the Yass Valley. Most recently, she played a key role in guiding the organisation through a period of major strategic change, stepping in as Acting Chief Executive Officer for six months from November 2024.
Mayor Jasmin Jones acknowledged Ms Costa’s contributions, stating:
“Council is enormously grateful to Ms Costa for her professionalism and fortitude in steering Council to a much stronger position going forward.
Ms Costa stepped up in challenging circumstances and has demonstrated strong leadership skills and unwavering commitment to our community and council staff.
We all wish her the very best and every success in her new position.”
One of the highlights of Ms Costa’s time at Yass Valley Council was the recognition she and her team received in the NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards (Division A) for their work on the Sutton Road Strategic Biocertification project. The project has since been recognised as a model for other councils seeking to balance biodiversity protection with a streamlined development assessment process.
Ms Costa joined Yass Valley Council in July 2020, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in urban and regional planning, primarily within regional and rural councils across New South Wales.
The staff at Yass Valley Council recognise Julie as a true leader - down to earth and genuinely appreciative of her team. During her time at Council, she made significant progress on the long-standing issue of fill material in the Yass Valley and strengthened the capacity of the compliance team, which had previously been limited. These changes helped relieve pressure on planning and building staff and improved overall service delivery.
One of her key achievements was leading the development of Council’s first comprehensive Development Control Plan (DCP). Perhaps most notably, Julie led the implementation of a dedicated Development Compliance service - an essential function that had not previously existed within the organisation. She leaves Yass Valley Council in a better place.
Yass Valley Council extends its warmest congratulations and thanks to Ms Costa, and wishes her every success in her new leadership role at Liverpool Plains Shire Council.