Hundreds of households in Shropshire have signed special contracts promising good behaviour and ensuring organisations provide high levels of service in their neighbourhoods.

The Neighbourhood Standards Agreement was launched after acceptable behaviour contracts were introduced by Severnside Housing two years ago to combat anti-social behaviour involving youngsters in part of Shrewsbury.

Some children agreed to sign the contracts to promise good behaviour following a string of problems involving a gang of youths in the Castlefields area, which sparked concern from the association and police.

The concept proved so successful the NiSAs were launched to tackle anti-social behaviour, encourage residents to report problems, help them understand their responsibilities and encouraging them to get involved in their community.

The agreements also help to identify problems and are in place at estates in Meole Brace and Monkmoor in Shrewsbury, in addition to three roads in Broseley.

Severnside hopes to introduce more in the next couple of months in the Abbey Foregate and Monkmoor area. It said exact figures for the number of people signing the contracts were not available today, but “hundreds” of households had signed them. Sue Groom, neighbourhood and community service director, said the NiSAs had proved a big success in the short time since they were first launched to tackle problems.

She said: “NiSAs identify and address areas specific to individual neighbourhoods.

“Severnside works with partner agencies including the police, Shropshire Council and other social landlords, and residents — whether tenants or owner occupiers, to identify issues in communities, and agree solutions, which form the basis of the neighbourhood standards agreements.

“As well as setting out how residents will behave, the agreements commit Severnside and partner agencies to agreed levels of service, which are regularly reviewed by partners and residents. These reviews provide invaluable feedback and help us to make sure that we are addressing residents concerns.

“As a result of the success of these NiSAs, Severnside and partners are now working to introduce them in other areas, starting with Ditherington.”