A mum has branded a council “clueless” after it wrongly refused her 17-year-old daughter a parking permit — and then asked for hers back as well.

Kirsty Jones, 48, applied on behalf of learner driver Hollie Spokes for an additional pass to park outside the family’s terraced home in Mill Road, Gillingham.

But not only did Medway Council refuse the application for her daughter’s new Ford vehicle it then said previously issued permits to other family members are null and void.

The authority said mum Kirsty wasn’t living within a controlled parking zone (CPZ), areas where on-street parking is controlled during specified times, and so wasn’t eligible for a permit either.

However, there are five signs in her section of Mill Road saying the zone is in force and she’s seen inspectors issuing parking notices to cars parked in the bays opposite her home.

The council’s online interactive map shows her house as outside the zone, although the original designs from 2013 include the whole road.

Medway Council has since reversed its decision and apologised but it’s not the first time Kirsty has faced this issue.

Back in 2021 Kirsty, who works six days a week as an Evri courier, was hit with the same problem after trying to renew the permit she’d had for more than 20 years, with the council again saying she shouldn’t have been issued one in the first place as she was outside the CPZ.

However, with the help of her then local councillor, Andy Stamp, who represented Gillingham North, the council accepted it had made a mistake and granted her a permit - although no formal explanation as to why it was reversing its refusal was given or whether it was linked to the confusing signage.

The authority also said at the time it would add a note to her permit records so the issue would not arise again.

However, last month when Kirsty tried to get a permit for her daughter, who’s now learning to drive in her own car, she was refused on the same basis as before.

The council again said this was because she didn’t live in a CPZ, despite the signs outside her home and the authority already having admitted she did.

Kirsty said: “It always seems to be my house, my neighbours don’t seem to have the same problem.

“The first time this happened I was asking for a renewal and they said I wasn’t eligible for a permit.

“I said ‘I’ve had one for 20 years!’ but it still took our councillor getting involved to sort it.

“We’ve shown them all the emails and pictures, showing we have been allowed a permit and the council admitting they were wrong back in 2021, but even so they’ve said no.

“I don’t think I’m asking for much, I just want to apply for a permit, pay for it, and, in a year, renew it. That’s all I want.

“We’ve had them say only the even numbered houses are eligible, but on our street the houses are only on one side of the street, with 66 next to 67, next to 68.

“They obviously haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about. It really shouldn’t be this difficult.”

The family have been able to avoid fines so far because a neighbour has allowed them to park on their front lawn while they appeal the refusal.

They say they’ve explained to the authority how they’ve already been through this process and were able to get a permit in 2021.

Kirsty even drafted in her dad, Mick Jones to lobby the council on her and Hollie’s behalf while she’s at work.

It’s seen the 76-year-old retiree venture down to the HQ, Gun Wharf, himself to show them documents and photos of the signs indicating its a controlled zone on Mill Road.

However, he was told to appeal via email and was not seen by officers in person.

Mick has since contacted the three local ward councillors who represent the area the CPZ operates in, but says only one has responded to say they would look into the situation.

He added: “It’s ridiculous. We’ve been through this before, we proved we should be allowed a permit, and now it’s come back all over again.

“It’s only because of the kindness of the neighbour that we’ve not been fined, they’ve been incredibly helpful - but they shouldn’t have had to be.

“The council says this isn’t in the zone, but there’s signs up right outside the house saying it is.

“I know people get issued fines there all the time, dozens and dozens of them, so there’s no doubt this is being included in the parking zone.”

Medway Council has now apologised for the error.

A spokesperson said: “We can confirm the resident in this matter is entitled to a permit, and their application will be reopened and processed.

“We apologise for administrative errors which led to the original permit application being denied, and will review processes to ensure they are not repeated.”