A groundbreaking proposal will be made to prevent a council from evicting people from their homes for rent arrears.

A groundbreaking proposal will be made to prevent a council from evicting people from their homes for rent arrears.

Stirling Council would become the first local authority in Scotland to ban such evictions under a plan by a councillor to be heard tonight.

SNP councillor Alasdair MacPherson, portfolio holder for housing policy and chairman of the planning panel, has made the motion following 23 evictions by the local authority last year.

He said: "Recently published figures show that Stirling Council evicted 23 tenants for rent arrears last year.

"Evictions for rent arrears are draconian and an attack on the poor in our society, especially in this economic climate."

His motion reads: "Council resolves to end evicting tenants for rent arrears, with immediate effect.

"Council also instructs the head of housing to write to local housing associations encouraging them also to stop this practice.

"Council further instructs the head of housing to work closely with the Scottish Housing Regulator to seek an alternative to eviction for rent arrears, as recommended by Shelter Scotland.

The proposal will be subject to review on a yearly basis in order to gauge the level of rent arrears.

Earlier this month, the Scottish Government announced that it would move quickly to offer stronger safeguards to homeowners who are unable to meet repayments.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had been criticised as complacent by Labour for failing to act earlier on recommendations by an expert group to the SNP administration. Many of those who have lost their jobs have also lost their homes during the recession.