MEASURES to solve the growing "blight on the landscape" of cars being abandoned in and around Bromsgrove are to be discussed at a meeting tonight.

Between January and November 2001, 316 vehicles were reported to Bromsgrove District Council as being a dumpd.

It cost the authority around £17,500 to deal with them, according to a report that is being presented to tonight's meeting of the council's executive cabinet.

Members will discuss proposals put forward in a consultation document by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which deals with abandoned cars and aims to act upon what it describes as a "blight on the landscape".

Proposals include reducing the notice period before cars can be removed from seven days to 24 hours, enabling local authorities to use the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) powers to clamp and remove unlicensed vehicles.

The proposals also include tightening vehicle registration procedures to ensure that those who dump cars can be tracked down and prosecuted.