Liz Brown
Photo: Durham

Durham planning committee

Councillor Liz Brown

Member, Area Planning Committee (South and West)

Seen at planning committee from September 2025 to September 2026

  • 86%attendance
  • 3recorded votes
  • 5agreed, no vote against recorded
  • 10decisions at their meetings
  • 1motion proposed

Councillor's page on the council's website

As at 17 September 2026, according to Plota’s analysis of Durham’s published minutes, Councillor Liz Brown attended 6 of the 7 planning committee meetings whose minutes list them, from September 2025 to September 2026. Each member's vote is recorded on 3 decisions at those meetings: Brown voted for the resolution on all 3. On 3 of those votes the officers’ recommendation is known, and 1 went against it. On 5 other decisions the minutes record no vote against, so Brown is counted as agreeing; they are left out of the shares below. Brown proposed 1 motion the committee passed.

Meetings attended
6 of 786%
Meetings whose minutes list them as present, sending apologies or absent. Minutes that list only those present cannot show an absence.
Decisions at their meetings
10
Applications decided at the meetings they sat on, as the minutes record them.
Recorded votes
3
Decisions where the minutes, the council's recorded vote or the meeting's recording give each member's vote: 3 for, 0 against, 0 abstained.
Agreed, no vote against recorded
5
Decisions the minutes record with no vote against and no count. Counted as agreeing, and left out of the shares.
Proposed or seconded
1 / 0
Motions the minutes say they proposed, then seconded, that the committee passed.
Declared interests
0
Decisions on which the minutes record them declaring an interest.

Voting record

Votes by quarter

Not drawn: 3 recorded votes is too few to show a pattern over time.

Against officer advice

Not drawn: 3 recorded votes with a known officers’ recommendation is too few to compare.

Agreement with other members

Not drawn: the minutes record no divided vote of this councillor by name. On a unanimous vote every member agrees, so it says nothing about agreement.

Attendance

86%

6 of 7 meetings whose minutes list them; apologies for 1.

The typical member of this committee attended 86% (the median of 31 members listed at 5 or more meetings).

Every meeting

Each square is a meeting whose minutes list them, oldest first.

PresentApologies
20252026

Area Planning Committee (South and West): 6 meetings

Show as a table
Every meeting
DateCommitteeAttendance
17 Sep 2026Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present
16 Jul 2026Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present
19 Feb 2026Area Planning Committee (South and West)Apologies
11 Dec 2025Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present
20 Nov 2025Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present
16 Oct 2025Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present
18 Sep 2025Area Planning Committee (South and West)Present

Decisions

Every application decided at a meeting they sat on, newest first, with their vote where the minutes give it.

Show
Their vote
Outcome

In the minutes

What the minutes record Brown moving, seconding, asking or saying on each decision, in the minutes’ own words. Passages that name more than one councillor, or a member of the public, are left out.

Subjects in what the minutes record

  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown asked as regards the Building for Life Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and footpaths alongside the proposed development. She also asked as regards any trees that may be required to be felled as a consequence of the application.”
    Minutes, 17 Sep 2026, Land at Kitchen Avenue, Bishop Auckland
  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown asked if there was any history of anti-social behaviour in the area.”
    Minutes, 17 Sep 2026, Land at Kitchen Avenue, Bishop Auckland
  • Spoke on trees and wildlife
    “Councillor L Brown noted Cherry trees should be avoided, their roots having the potential to ruin lawns.”
    Minutes, 17 Sep 2026, Land at Kitchen Avenue, Bishop Auckland
  • Asked about affordable housing
    “Councillor L Brown asked if the affordable units were scattered throughout the estate, or all together, and whether Gleeson were offering any rent to buy properties on site.”
    Minutes, 17 Sep 2026, Land at Kitchen Avenue, Bishop Auckland
  • Asked about a site visit
    “Councillor L Brown asked why a site visit had not been arranged to look at the development which would have helped Members in the debate.”
    Minutes, 16 Jul 2026, Kynren Flatts Farm Toronto Bishop Auckland
  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown queried if there was a crossing or central refuge for people to cross Meadowfield Way.”
    Minutes, 11 Dec 2025, Site Of Former Horndale Working Mens Club Meadowfield Way Newton Aycliffe
  • Spoke
    “Councillor L Brown stated that there had been several children’s homes approved over her time as a member of the planning committee as there was not enough provision in the County. She had refused one or two and empathised with residents as it was a difficult decision.”
    Minutes, 20 Nov 2025, Applegarth New Road Crook
  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown asked how long the tarpaulin had been on the land.”
    Minutes, 16 Oct 2025, Church House 78 Front Street Stanhope Bishop Auckland
  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown asked if this had been a burgage plot to which the Principal Planning Officer confirmed it had.”
    Minutes, 16 Oct 2025, Church House 78 Front Street Stanhope Bishop Auckland
  • Moved refusal
    “Councillor L Brown moved a motion to go with officer recommendation to refuse the application.”
    Minutes, 16 Oct 2025, Church House 78 Front Street Stanhope Bishop Auckland
  • Asked a question
    “Councillor L Brown sought clarification and asked if the black vinyl could be removed and if the refurbishment of windows would be detrimental to the premises.”
    Minutes, 18 Sep 2025, 2 - 3 Central Buildings Front Street Staindrop Darlington
  • Asked about heritage
    “Councillor L Brown enquired if the inner changes were reversible because of the listed building consent and debated what would happen to the building if it was left to rot.”
    Minutes, 18 Sep 2025, 2 - 3 Central Buildings Front Street Staindrop Darlington
  • Asked about the conditions
    “Councillor L Brown asked if she could propose to restrict delivery hours or introduce any conditions based on the list of proposals by residents in the report.”
    Minutes, 18 Sep 2025, 2 - 3 Central Buildings Front Street Staindrop Darlington
  • Moved refusal
    “Councillor L Brown moved a motion to refuse advertising consent based on it contradicting Policies 29, 31 and 44 and because it would impact on the historic environment of the village.”
    Minutes, 18 Sep 2025, 2 - 3 Central Buildings Front Street Staindrop Darlington
  • Proposed a condition
    “Councillor L Brown moved to approve the listed building consent with a condition that the shop would not open until all the alternations to the inside and outside of the premises were complete.”
    Minutes, 18 Sep 2025, 2 - 3 Central Buildings Front Street Staindrop Darlington

How this is worked out

Everything here is read from Durham’s published planning committee minutes, 34 meetings from September 2025 to September 2026. A councillor is matched across meetings by the council’s own member number where it has one, otherwise by full name.

Each vote shows how it is known. Named in the minutes: the minutes, or the council’s own recorded vote, list each member with their vote. From the count and the names: the minutes give the numbers and name the members in the minority, and every member present is known. All members present in favour: the minutes say every member voted for it and the members present are known. No vote against recorded: the minutes record the decision with no vote against, no abstention and no count, at a council whose minutes print a divided vote when there is one, so each member present is counted for. Unanimous vote: the minutes call the decision unanimous, or give a count with no one against and no one abstaining, and each member present is counted for. From the meeting recording: the vote was heard on the council’s recording of the meeting and closes exactly with the members present. Where none of these holds, the vote is left as “Not recorded” and is not counted.

Votes are on the resolution the committee passed, so a vote for is a vote with the majority. A vote is a decision on the application in front of the committee, not a statement of the councillor’s views. A percentage is shown only with five or more votes, decisions or meetings behind it.

Source: Plota analysis of the council’s minutes. The party is from the council’s own list of councillors.

Also on this committee

All Durham committee councillors