Blitz planned on dumped cars

But the Rother budget is under "extreme pressures." There is no cash for the project in this year's kitty and little likelihood of there being any next year.

Instead, director of services Tony Leonard is suggesting a two or three week pre-Chistmas blitz funded by Rother Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to free the streets.

He says: "This decision needs to be taken as a matter of urgency to enable the Council to participate in Operation Enforce for a maximum of three weeks commencing in December."

Rother has a duty to remove abandoned vehicles under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. In June, it was agreed to enter into Operation Crackdown as a means of increasing co-operation with Sussex Police in dealing with abandoned vehicles under their powers.

Mr Leonard says: "This has resulted in more rapid removal of abandoned vehicles from the highway.

"An important part of keeping the highway clear is also the reporting of untaxed vehicles to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority who would then take action against the registered vehicle keeper. As a local authority our powers extend only to abandoned vehicles. It has been clear for some time that a significant number of cars reported as abandoned are in fact vehicles in constant use but remaining untaxed.

"DVLA remains the authority responsible for pursuing the keeper for non-payment of road fund licence; unfortunately, it does not have a widespread presence of inspectors patrolling to identify and pursue offenders.

"Both local authorities and the Police act as reporting agents to the DVLA but neither body was in a position to regularly patrol for, and report unlicensed vehicles.

"There is a growing frustration from the public at the perceived lack of action in dealing with these vehicles and this has been identified as a common problem across the country.

"Taxation serves a valuable secondary objective in requiring the production of insurance and MOT particulars. Many untaxed vehicles are driven by uninsured or possibly disqualified drivers and may not be up to MOT standards."

Operation Enforce evolved from Operation Cubit which was developed in Kent. Local authorities entered into agreements with the DVLA to adopt its powers for wheel-clamping for vehicle tax evasion. Offending vehicles are removed and stored. They are either released to the owners after payment or disposed if unclaimed.

In return for wheel-clamping unlicensed vehicles, operating councils retain de-clamping, impounding, storage fees and fees from auctioned vehicles.

In a Hastings council four-week trial of Operation Enforce in February and March 2002, 500 unlicensed vehicles were either clamped or removed; 103 vehicles were sent for disposal. Of the 500 unlicensed vehicles only 71 were reclaimed. As a result,, Hastings set up a unit in November 2002 to deal with unlicensed, abandoned, dangerous vehicles and persistent offenders. It reduced:

Car repairs on the highway

Car breaking

Pool cars for criminals

"Up to April 2004, the unit has dealt with approximately 3,000 vehicles, about 70% of which were unlicensed, but of this 70% only 21% were reclaimed."

Discussions have taken place with Hastings and the police to see how Operation Enforce could be applied in Rother. Hastings says it could offer Rother a deal at whatever level of service Rother can afford.

"The Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), in conjunction with Sussex Police, has identified what are considered to be the 'hotspots' within the district. This operation would be effective and significantly increase the quality of life of residents currently suffering from nuisance vehicles and the associated problems they bring.

"It was suggested that a period of operation of two to three weeks in the hotspots would be sufficient to bring about those improvements and act as a useful guide as to what the future requirements for Operation Enforce in the District might be.

"It was also indicated at that meeting that there was a possibility that funds to support an operation of this duration might be forthcoming from the CDRP as well as the second homes council tax allocation. "