WIFE beaters could soon be thrown out of their council homes under new rules aimed at clamping down on domestic violence.

All council tenants are to be asked to sign new contracts agreeing not to inflict violence on another member of their family or household.

Housing bosses hope that the change in housing rules will have a major impact on abusive family relationships in Bolton.

Council tenants are to be consulted on the proposed changes next month and the new contracts could be in place at the end of the month.

Under the terms of the new contracts, housing bosses will serve a notice on perpetrators of domestic violence, informing them of their intention to seek possession of the property.

Officials would then have to gather enough evidence to convince a county court judge to grant an eviction order.

Cllr Noel Spencer, chairman of Bolton at Home, which manages the borough's council homes, said: "It has been a huge source of frustration to us that we have not been able to get to grips with the problem of domestic violence before.

"Some tenants groups have raised concerns that their rights are being eroded, but I feel that now most will understand the importance of these changes and are happy with them."

Abusive family members cannot currently be thrown out of their homes because of a history of domestic violence.

The change, the first to council house contracts in Bolton in 10 years, will allow victims to remain in their homes or move to a new confidential address.

The new tenancies are also designed to deal with other current loopholes in contracts.

They will prevent council tenants from swapping homes or allowing inappropriate numbers of people to share a property.

There will also be a clampdown on tenants who park commercial vehicles at their properties, and those who leave pets behind when moving home.

Plans are being drawn up to take action against those who refuse to sign. The housing group has recently been granted a range of new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour by removing the secured tenancy rights of trouble-makers.

New council tenants are now expected to serve a 12-month probationary period in a bid to clamp down on neighbourhood nuisance.

Mike Lever, housing services manager at Bolton at Home, said: "The changes are part of a number of co-ordinated services we are making available to victims of domestic violence.

"In the past the victims have always been the ones who have lost their homes and had to move elsewhere and it was felt that this was unfair."

Bolton Council's Safe As Houses project offers a range of homes to victims equipped with security measures such as secure panic rooms and panic buttons.