A report advising the Sub-Committee on the proposal to amend the Permit Management Rules to create a simplified approach for the benefit of the customer and administration by officers, to standardise and simplify the number of permits and setting out details of the digital permit trial and recommendations to adopt this across all permit areas.

The Sub-Committee considered a report that sought to amend the Permit Management Rules to create a standardised approach to simplify the number of permits, and following the results of the digital parking permit trial, to recommend the adoption of digital permits and visitor permits Boroughwide from October 2025.  The following Appendices were attached to the report:

The report explained that there were 19 Resident Parking Zones across the Borough which provided spaces on-street for households to find parking near their homes and the report included a table that set out the permits that had been issued in 2024/2025.  At the meeting on 13 September 2023 (Minute 23 refers) the start of a trial of digital permits had been agreed with the exception of Visitor Permits in zone 02R and a trial of digital visitor permits had been on going in permit zone 02R since 13 March 2024. 

The residents in 02R, as part of the trial, were entitled to two free packs and up to five charged packs of visitor permits per year, each pack contained 120 sessions and each session was for one hour.  In summary, residents were provided with 240 free hours of parking for visitors and the ability to buy up to 600 additional hours of visitor time.  A resident could book a session from their pack, with the minimum being one session/hour.  Once a session had been booked, the session(s) were deducted from their pack.  This was all managed from their online account.

Residents had been notified of the digital trial, including the visitor pack trial, and a feedback form had been provided.  To date 12 responses had been received from residents under the trial that had been held over the previous 12 months.  There were 665 permits in zone 02R. 

The report stated that the digital scheme was working well, with generally positive feedback.  It had allowed for more efficient working practices that supported stronger compliance, and the visitor permit scheme was proving to be more suited to customer needs, with shorter stays possible, as well as being easier to access.  Therefore, the recommendation was to roll out the Digital Visitor Permit packs to the other permit zones along with visitor permits for Business, Charity and other discretionary visitor permit types.  The inclusion of these permits in the digital rollout would simplify the process for obtaining visitor permits and would not restrict the applicant to times when the Council offices were open, thereby providing greater flexibility for customers. 

The option to have physical visitor permits would be retained for those residents who were unable to utilise the digital version.  However, these books of visitor permits would not be available to purchase online through the portal, and requests would need to be made by post or email. 

The report explained that it was recommended to roll out digital visitor permits Boroughwide in October 2025 to allow officers time to communicate and amend back-office systems and, as with the trial of Digital Visitor Permits in 02R, a communication and roll-out plan would be drawn up.

The report detailed other proposed changes to the following sections of Permit Scheme:

·       Motorcycle Parking;

·       Council Pool Vehicles;

·       Nanny, Houseboat and Foreign Vehicle Permits

·       Teachers Permits;

·       Healthcare Professional Permits;

·       Update of the Permit Scheme Rules and Definitions.

Resolved –

(1)      That the following the trial of Digital Permits and Visitor Permits in Zone 02R, their rolling out Boroughwide and the rolling out Boroughwide of digital Business, Charity and Discretionary permits, be agreed;

(2)      That the following amendments be made to the permit scheme:

(a)      Motorcycles are included in the permit scheme but are charged for at the first permit rate regardless of other vehicles owned;

(b)      Reading Borough Council pool vehicles are included in the scheme;

(c)      Houseboats, Nanny and Foreign Registered vehicle permits are removed from the permit scheme due to low take up and the creation of a new General Discretionary permit;

(d)      Healthcare Professional Permits are updated to remove the list of professions and that permits are issued on the basis they visit patients in their homes;

(e)      Teachers permits be renamed educational establishment permits and be limited to the current demand as set out in Table 4 at paragraph 3.29 allowing the schools to determine the recipients of those permits charged at resident rates;

(f)       Schools applying for permits must have a current School Travel plan;

(g)      The Director of Finance be authorised to determine the charges for permits relating to Reading Borough Council vehicles or staff;

(3)      That the permit scheme rules and definitions be updated as per the above agreed amendments.