Forward-thinking tenants have set up a panel to choose who comes to live in their neighbourhood and turn away potential trouble-makers.

And housing officers and tenants believe that it is reducing problems caused by nuisance tenants and drugs in the area.

The Community Lettings Panel at Triangle and Royal Associations, based around Park Road, off Manchester Road, Bradford, even try to match people of similar ages together in tower blocks.

Panel chairman Lil Acklam said: "When someone puts in a bid, we interview them and decide whether they are suitable or not.

"There are certain things we won't accept, such as drugs, but it is all laid out in a lettings agreement which they read and sign.

"We have turned people away who are known users. We think we have cleaned the area up."

The panel members - consisting of at least one tenant and one housing officer - ask the prospective tenant why they want to live there and what they know about the locality. If necessary, they also insist on references.

Housing officer Joan Broderick said: "The tenants got fed up with nuisance tenants and felt there was no vetting process. New tenants are asked to sign and abide by a lettings agreement which asks them to be good neighbours.

"Since the lettings panel has been running, for about a year, we have only spoken to one or two about breaking the agreement. It is really successful."

Mrs Acklam works on a voluntary basis giving out advice and solving tenants' problems at the association.

"It got to the point where I was solving problems, but the tenants were just creating more, so we thought we would try solving the problem at its root."

She helped to design the new premises for the association's headquarters, which has moved to Evans Towers on Ternhill Grove from Reyner House, which is scheduled for demolition.

The new facilities for the 750 tenancies include meeting rooms, playroom, a Family Support Project, toy library, advice surgeries and computer suite.

All residents are invited to a launch event on Saturday, from 2pm to 5pm, where there will be refreshments, activities and games for children.