Discretionary Parking Permit in Reading Your Guide to applying for a

Your Guide to applying for a
Discretionary Parking Permit in Reading
1 Who’s eligible to apply for a permit?
Nobody has an entitlement to a discretionary permit. However
Reading Borough Council has recognised that there are those
who, from time to time, may have business within the permit
zones which, the Council may decide at its discretion as the
Highway Authority to be legitimate reason to grant a permit.
2 What are the Reasons for Granting a Permit?
There are no fixed criteria for the granting of discretionary
permits, each application will be dealt with on their own merits
and each decision does not set a precedent for future applications.
The officers (the employed staff) of the Council will decide
an application for a discretionary permit.
There are general groups of discretionary permits that the council
has issued in the past, these groups have been: Charity, Community
Agency, Nanny, Teacher, Medical Practitioner, Resident,
Business. Please note there are separate application forms for
Carer, Tradespersons/Landlord and Healthcare Professional
parking permits.
3 Statement of Reasons
Along with this application form and proofs (see note 4) you must
supply a statement of reasons why you are applying for a discretionary
permit. The reasons should include the difficulties you
have encountered with parking. The more detailed your reasons
for applying, the more information the Council can use to decide
your application.
4 Providing Proofs
Depending on the reasons you give for your discretionary permit
application you will be required to produce proof, along with
your application, to support the facts in your application. This is
because the Council must be seen to justify the decision it makes
to grant permits.
Most commonly you will be required to produce proof of
residence: That means a copy of ONE document which must be
a bank statement / credit card / storecard statement or gas /
electricity / telephone / council tax bill, in your own name. The
document must show you reside at that address. The document
must be dated within four months of the application date. Copies
of online versions of the above bills are acceptable as long as they
show your name, address and date.
We also need proof of vehicle ownership or entitlement to use the
vehicle that will be identified on the permit. That means a copy of
DVLA Registration document (V5C) or an insurance certificate / insurance
schedule, which must show the address where the permit
is applied for. If you are not the owner of the
vehicle (e.g. company vehicle, lease car, rental car etc) a copy letter
stating that you have a right to use the vehicle including documents
that show you are insured to use the vehicle.
Proofs are required along with your application. Please make photocopies
of your proof documents. We will accept original documents
as proof – but we can’t return them.
We may also require proof of your business address, proof of the
business you need to conduct within permit zones, proof of charity
status, proof of teacher status or other documentation you believe
will justify the Council’s decision to issue a permit.
If you are a Medical Practitioner requesting a permit, please provide
proof of vehicle ownership, a letter from the practice manager
confirming your employment along with your General Medical
Council reference number.
5 Renewing Your Permit
Permits are issued for twelve months, there are no zone renewal
months. A new application is required each year. This is because
changes in circumstances may affect the decisions made by
the Council as the rules of the scheme may change. It will be up
to you to renew your permit, as reminders may not be sent in the
future. You must note the expiry date for your permit as it will be the
permit holder’s responsibility to re-apply for the permit.
6 Discretionary Visitor Permits
Visitor permits may be permitted along with discretionary
parking permits, or discretionary visitor permits may be issued
to persons who do not necessarily hold a discretionary permit.
Your reasons for visitor permits must be included in your statement
of reasons, as there is no automatic entitlement to visitor
permits along with discretionary permits.
7 Payment
Depending on the Type of Application you are making, there may
be a fee payable.
For non-business applications there is no charge for
discretionary permit applications e.g. Charities, Community
agencies, Residents, & Medical Practitioner. There may be a
charge associated for second and subsequent permits; this
charge will be £60. You must indicate on the application form
overleaf if this is for the second (or more) permit for the property,
as failure to do so may delay the issue of the permit.
There is a discretionary permit application fee of £50 for
businesses e.g. nannies, teachers, businesses etc. This fee
must accompany the application form for the application to be
considered. If the application is successful the permit is subject to
a fee of £300 from which the £50 application fee is then
deducted. The balance of £250 must be paid before the permit
can be issued. You may send the balance payment of £250 along
with your application fee to speed up your permit issue, if your
application is successful. If your application is unsuccessful, the
application fee is non-refundable, but we will refund the £250.
There is no guarantee that sending the full fee will mean permits
will be granted.
Payments can be made by cheque, credit/debit card or by postal
order. We regret that no refunds are available once permits have
been issued.
8 If You Want More Information.
This leaflet has been designed to help you through the
discretionary process, but remember it is up to you to make
your case for a discretionary parking permit. If you want more
information or wish to view the rules of the scheme in full
you can:
• Go to: www.reading.gov.uk/transportandstreets
• Call the helpline on 0118 937 3767
• Write to : Resident Parking Permits
Reading Borough Council,
Civic Centre, Reading, RG1 7AE
9 Submitting Your Application
Post your application to:
Resident Parking Permits
Reading Borough Council
Civic Centre
Reading, RG1 7AE
Reading Borough Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 1998. We
hold the information given to us for the residents’ parking scheme for specific purpose
of processing and managing the residents parking scheme only and we comply with
the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Ac5t 1998 in relation to that
data. These principles restrict the power of a Data Controller to disclose to third parties’
personal data, which it is processing. This authority is under a duty to protect public
funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on this
form for prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other
bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes

Your discretionary application form
PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM IN CAPITALS FOR YOUR NEW PERMIT
Your Details Your vehicle
Mr Mrs Ms Miss
First name
Last name
Name of company/organisation (if applicable)
TYPE OF APPLICATION (tick one box - see note 7)
A. NO application
fees PAYABLE:
Home
address or
base of
business for
permit
Postcode
Daytime contact
phone number
Email address
Vehicle registration
Make of vehicle
Size of vehicle:
below 5.3 metres long
and/or 2.25 metres high
Name & address of registered
keeper if different from details given above
Full Name
Address
Resident
Medical
Practioner
Yes
postcode
Charity
Community
Agency
B. FEES PAYABLE: Business Nanny
Teacher
No
Your permit & proof
Type of permit required
(see information on permit types and payments - note 7)
Application fee - £50 see note 7
Discretionary parking permit - £250
Discretionary parking permit - £60
Discretionary parking permit - free
Visitor permits -
free book of 20 permits
* see note 6
Visitor permits - purchase addtional
books (max5)
£20 per book
Does the property have off
street parking
Nearest car park
to property
Times of day
vehicle will be
parked
Frequency of use -
(Times/Days/Week?)
Statement of reasons enclosed
see note 3
proof of ownership of vehicle
(only one proof required, photocopies only)* see note 4
DVLA Registration document (V5C)
Current Insurance certificate/schedule
proof of residence/business address
(only one required showing name and address of
residence/business, dated within last 4 months.
Photocopies only)* see note 4
Bank statement
Gas/Electric/Telephone bill
Current Council tax/Business rates bill
Proof of Status for type of application (see note 7)
Signed
DATE
YES
how
many
books
NO
Payment
Method of payment (Application fee must be submitted with this application form, please tick one box)
Cheque Credit Card Debit Card Postal Order AMOUNT
Credit & Debit card payments only
Credit/Debit Card holders name
Credit/Debit Card number
Start date / Expiry date /
CVV code Issue No House No Postcode
(3 digit number on
reverse of card signature strip)