Plans to refuse council housing to rowdy Oxford residents could be hard to implement because of problems keeping tabs on tenants.

Oxford City Council has admitted that a proposal to penalise anti-social tenants by denying them access to council housing in the city could move the problem elsewhere.

The proposal, which would see the council crack down on people who lose their tenancies through the courts because of anti-social behaviour or persistent non- payment of rent, was part of a review of housing allocation policy considered by the council executive on Monday, September 1.

Val Smith, executive member for housing, said the council would do all it could to monitor rowdy tenants after they were denied access to council housing.

But she admitted it could be a hard task to keep an eye on everyone.

Deputy council leader Bill Baker asked whether residents would be monitored to prevent them continuing to act in an anti-social manner in other areas. Mrs Smith said: "In relation to keeping tabs, a lot will depend on the residents giving information. If they can prove they've changed, perhaps by providing references, then perhaps they could be reconsidered.

"We will have to consider things like people trying to change their names, or trying to deceive us."

Mrs Smith said the council was determined to show residents there were serious consequences to behaving anti-socially.

She said: "People should realise if they misuse their homes and cause problems for neighbours, another council tenancy will not be on the cards."