PLANS to launch a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the New Forest area have been approved by councillors.

People who make life a misery for their neighbours will in future be asked to sign a pledge to behave.

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts are written agreements in which troublemakers agree to mend their ways.

They are not legally binding, but breaching the contract can result in the courts being asked to issue an anti-social behaviour order.

These are designed to curb behaviour of a criminal or near-criminal nature, and contraventions can result in the offender being prosecuted.

Plans to introduce the scheme were approved without debate at a meeting last night of New Forest District Council.

It was given the go-ahead when councillors rubber-stamped a decision taken by the policy and resources committee on July 2.

Earlier, Councillor Malcolm Wade said the minutes made no mention of a similar debate at the crime and disorder panel on June 19.

He said the minutes reported only half the meeting, but a proposal to reject them was defeated.

Later a council spokesman said several people had already been warned that they might be made the subject of an acceptable behaviour contract.

He said: "The behaviour of these particular individuals has already improved, even though they haven't yet got the document in their hands."

Anti-social behaviour orders have already been deployed successfully in Eastleigh and Southampton.

But Forest councillors are hoping the use of acceptable behaviour contracts will be enough to eliminate many of the juvenile nuisance problems in the district.

These include gangs of teenagers regularly indulging in intimidating behaviour or constantly kicking balls against houses and garden fences.