NEWPORT is cracking down on tenants who make their neighbours' lives a misery with a new policy to combat anti-social behaviour.

The council is piloting an Active Suspension Policy to try to combat the problem - including probing any housing applications from those who have committed "anti-social acts".

Anti-social behaviour - which can include people being noisy or threatening - is a national problem and has become a major housing management issue, the council says. Although the number of hard-core perpetrators of anti-social behaviour is small, their actions affect the lives of a large number of people.

Part of the strategy is an Active Suspension Policy that restricts access to council housing for proven perpetrators of anti-social behaviour.

Although only a pilot scheme, the council hopes that the policy will minimise the effects of anti-social behaviour on communities in Newport. Upon application to the housing register, those who are known to have committed an act which could be considered 'anti-social' will have their application for re-housing deferred pending an investigation. The Active Suspension Policy Officer will investigate each case to look at the nature and extent of the anti-social behaviour and present a report to the Active Suspension Policy Panel for consideration.

Every applicant has a right of appeal if suspended and they have 28 days to appeal against the decision.

After the suspension period is up, the application for housing will be reviewed. Councillor Eddie Burke, Cabinet member for adult and housing services, said: "If left unchecked, anti-social behaviour can lead to neighbourhood decline with people leaving the area and council properties becoming increasingly more difficult to re-let.

"To prevent this we are doing everything in our power to combat anti-social behaviour and this pilot scheme is just part of our strategy."