East Suffolk planning committee
Councillor Rosie Smithson
LabourSeen at planning committee from September 2025 to August 2026
- 69%attendance
- 4recorded votes
- 3agreed, no vote against recorded
- 13decisions at their meetings
As at 8 September 2026, according to Plota’s analysis of East Suffolk’s published minutes, Councillor Rosie Smithson attended 9 of the 13 planning committee meetings whose minutes list them, from September 2025 to August 2026. Each member's vote is recorded on 4 decisions at those meetings: Smithson voted for the resolution on all 4. On 4 of those votes the officers’ recommendation is known, and none went against it. On 3 other decisions the minutes record no vote against, so Smithson is counted as agreeing; they are left out of the shares below.
- Meetings attended
- 9 of 1369%
- 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
- 13
- Applications decided at the meetings they sat on, as the minutes record them.
- Recorded votes
- 4
- Decisions where the minutes, the council's recorded vote or the meeting's recording give each member's vote: 4 for, 0 against, 0 abstained.
- Agreed, no vote against recorded
- 3
- Decisions the minutes record with no vote against and no count. Counted as agreeing, and left out of the shares.
- Proposed or seconded
- 0 / 2
- 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: 4 recorded votes is too few to show a pattern over time.
Against officer advice
Not drawn: 4 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
69%
9 of 13 meetings whose minutes list them; apologies for 4.
The typical member of this committee attended 92% (the median of 20 members listed at 5 or more meetings).
Every meeting
Each square is a meeting whose minutes list them, oldest first.
Planning Committee South: 6 meetings · Strategic Planning Committee: 3 meetings
Show as a table
| Date | Committee | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Aug 2026 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 28 Jul 2026 | Planning Committee South | Apologies |
| 6 Jul 2026 | Strategic Planning Committee | Present |
| 23 Jun 2026 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 26 May 2026 | Planning Committee South | Apologies |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Strategic Planning Committee | Apologies |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 27 Jan 2026 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 12 Jan 2026 | Strategic Planning Committee | Present |
| 16 Dec 2025 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 31 Oct 2025 | Strategic Planning Committee | Present |
| 28 Oct 2025 | Planning Committee South | Present |
| 23 Sep 2025 | Planning Committee South | Apologies |
Decisions
Every application decided at a meeting they sat on, newest first, with their vote where the minutes give it.
- South View Lower Road Westerfield Ipswich SuffolkRear extension and garage conversion · DC/26/2155/FULSeconded the motion Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- 46 Priory Court Priory Park Nacton Ipswich SuffolkAccessibility improvements · DC/26/1450/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Former Deben High School Garrison Lane Felixstowe SuffolkHomes and cricket facilities · DC/26/1113/VOC Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Car Park Deben Swimming Pool Station Road Woodbridge SuffolkSolar car port canopies · DC/26/0392/FUL Approved ForAll members present in favour
- 39 High Road East Felixstowe SuffolkFront wall and gates · DC/25/4807/FUL RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall SuffolkLorry park · DC/23/2930/OUT RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land At Dumb Boy Cottage Shingle Street Hollesley SuffolkWinter storage reservoir · DC/25/2180/FUL Approved ForAll members present in favour
- Part Agricultural Land North-East Of Hasketon Road BurghThree market dwellings · DC/25/3431/OUT Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Skatepark Orwell Green Grange Farm Avenue Felixstowe SuffolkExtended skatepark floodlighting · DC/24/3429/VOC Approved ForAll members present in favour
- Fynn Valley Golf Club Rose Hill Witnesham Ipswich SuffolkWarden’s accommodation · DC/25/1945/FUL Refused Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Former Jeld Wen Factory Waveney Drive Lowestoft Suffolk500 homes, employment and early years · DC/24/2381/OUT Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Sizewell Beach Toilet Block Sizewell Gap Sizewell Leiston SuffolkTimber notice board · DC/25/3118/ADN Approved ForAll members present in favour
- Otley College Of Agriculture And Horticulture Charity Lane Otley SuffolkHGV training facility · DC/24/4253/FULSeconded the motion Approved ForNo vote against recorded
No decision matches these filters.
In the minutes
What the minutes record Smithson 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
- Parking and traffic24 Feb 2026, 31 Oct 2025, 28 Oct 2025
- Design, scale and character25 Aug 2026
- Heritage23 Jun 2026
- Spoke on design and scale
“Councillor Smithson said it was dispiriting to see these changes and questioned the competency of the designs as there has been a series of design changes. She asked how can we have confidence in this development.”
Minutes, 25 Aug 2026, Former Deben High School Garrison Lane Felixstowe Suffolk - Asked about heritage
“Councillor Smithson asked if just partial hedging was being removed and not the hedging to the left of the building, adjacent to the listed building.”
Minutes, 23 Jun 2026, 39 High Road East Felixstowe Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson noted the house was modern with only a tiny bit of hedge currently. She was not sure she would even notice the change.”
Minutes, 23 Jun 2026, 39 High Road East Felixstowe Suffolk - Raised concerns
“Councillor Smithson had concerns about the pedestrian element but you can’t judge if future developments would come as a result.”
Minutes, 23 Jun 2026, 39 High Road East Felixstowe Suffolk - Moved the motion
“Councillor Smithson proposed accepting the officer recommendation.”
Minutes, 23 Jun 2026, 39 High Road East Felixstowe Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if the call for sites had generated any suitable sites for this type of application or if there should there be a call for these sites. She didn’t understand this location and asked if the Felixstowe lorry park was under threat of closure.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked why they can’t reapply for a lease at Felixstowe Port where there are good facilities.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked about the surfacing and if it was permeable.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked where it would be discharged to and hoped it was not the creek or the river.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Asked about parking
“Councillor Smithson asked if it would make a difference to the A14 and stop the layby parking.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson said the Council needed to address the lack of provision.”
Minutes, 24 Feb 2026, Land South Of Felixstowe Road Stratton Hall Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if the development was suggesting a more modest collection, such as a row of terraces, would they still object.”
Minutes, 27 Jan 2026, Part Agricultural Land North-East Of Hasketon Road Burgh - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked why the other plot has not been built out.”
Minutes, 27 Jan 2026, Part Agricultural Land North-East Of Hasketon Road Burgh - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked about the grade of the agricultural land.”
Minutes, 27 Jan 2026, Part Agricultural Land North-East Of Hasketon Road Burgh - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson agreed.”
Minutes, 27 Jan 2026, Part Agricultural Land North-East Of Hasketon Road Burgh - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson said this seemed like a sensible solution so was inclined to support.”
Minutes, 27 Jan 2026, Land At Dumb Boy Cottage Shingle Street Hollesley Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked why they couldn’t use one of the holiday accommodation units as that would be more appropriate.”
Minutes, 16 Dec 2025, Fynn Valley Golf Club Rose Hill Witnesham Ipswich Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if an application could be made for that to be changed.”
Minutes, 16 Dec 2025, Fynn Valley Golf Club Rose Hill Witnesham Ipswich Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson pointed out that it was considered inferior in terms of accommodation, particularly for two people.”
Minutes, 16 Dec 2025, Fynn Valley Golf Club Rose Hill Witnesham Ipswich Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if one of the holiday lodges could be changed to become a worker’s cottage.”
Minutes, 16 Dec 2025, Fynn Valley Golf Club Rose Hill Witnesham Ipswich Suffolk - Asked about parking
“Councillor Smithson queried the police report and the concerns about back parking and if there will be an issue getting insurance even if the land is raised.”
Minutes, 31 Oct 2025, Former Jeld Wen Factory Waveney Drive Lowestoft Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson said although she was not from Lowestoft you could see the town has huge potential.”
Minutes, 31 Oct 2025, Former Jeld Wen Factory Waveney Drive Lowestoft Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if the Parish Council had done a survey on the number of lorries travelling along this road.”
Minutes, 28 Oct 2025, Otley College Of Agriculture And Horticulture Charity Lane Otley Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Smithson asked if the vehicles will be dual controlled and have dash cams.”
Minutes, 28 Oct 2025, Otley College Of Agriculture And Horticulture Charity Lane Otley Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Smithson acknowledged the problems with having a shortage of drivers and was not convinced that 12 trips a day would have a significant impact. She was minded to approve even though she found Highway’s approach to roads a little cavalier.”
Minutes, 28 Oct 2025, Otley College Of Agriculture And Horticulture Charity Lane Otley Suffolk - Seconded
“On the proposal of Councillor Packard, seconded by Councillor Smithson”
Minutes, 28 Oct 2025, Otley College Of Agriculture And Horticulture Charity Lane Otley Suffolk
How this is worked out
Everything here is read from East Suffolk’s published planning committee minutes, 24 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 the one they were elected for, from Democracy Club’s open election results.
Also on this committee
- Sarah PlummerGreen
- Paul Geoffrey AshdownConservative
- Lee ReevesLib Dem
- Malcolm PitchersLabour
- Colin Stanley HedgleyConservative
- Graham Reginald ParkerLabour
- Paul Richard AshtonLib Dem
- Seamus BennettLib Dem
- Andrée Marise Diana GeeConservative
- Mike NinnmeyLib Dem
- Tom DalyGreen
- David BeavanLib Dem
- Geoffrey Ian David WakelingGreen
- John FisherIndependent
- Toby HammondGreen
- Mike DeaconLabour