PROBLEM youths in Cwmbran and Ponty-pool will be asked to sign an 'acceptable behaviour contract' in a bid by police and the council to stamp out nuisance crime.

The scheme, a joint initiative between the town's police and Torfaen council housing department, aims to resolve problems with young people before the authority has to resort to legal action and an anti-social behaviour order - two have so far been introduced in Cwmbran and Pontypool.

Crime reduction officer PC Andy Mason said acceptable behaviour contracts were introduced in the London borough of Islington with some success.

He said: "It's a means of asking people who have been causing problems in the area to behave within the bounds of the law.

"Those involved will be spoken to by police and council officers, and asked to sign an acceptable behaviour contract, which will be between the person, the police, and the housing association or council.

"Obviously, it's a means of working with people before before the situation gets any worse. If the contract is breached, an anti-social behaviour order would be one of the options open to us."

Simon Inkson, Torfaen's assistant director of housing said: "A lot of the anti-social behaviour on our estates involves children and young people who need guidance and support in learning how to behave acceptably. "Rather than resorting to formal action such as anti-social behaviour orders or eviction proceedings straight away, this is a step along the way.

"By working with partners in the police and housing associations we can sometimes intervene in a way that helps to educate young people and solve problems for tenants and the wider community."

The scheme was launched on two estates with a history of youth behaviour problems, one in south-west Cwmbran and another in north Pontypool but police and council refused to say which ones.

The announcement comes as Cwmbran's new inspector pledged to focus on anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Inspector Mark Sutton, formerly of Newport CID, told community councillors: "Changes are not going to happen overnight - we need to liaise with all the neighbourhood watch groups in the area, and work in partnership with the council.

"We will address as best we can your issues with regard to anti social behaviour - we will reassure the public when we can."