Agenda item - Consultation On Extension Of Smoke Free Areas

Report of the Director of Public Health (copy attached).

9.1            The Director of Public Health introduced the paper which outlined the advantages and practicalities of extending smoke-free spaces in Brighton and Hove to include city parks and beaches.  He noted that the issue had raised a lot of interest in the city and sought the views of the Board on the proposals.

9.2            The Environmental Health Manager stated that it was intended to consult the public on the proposals to extend smoke-free spaces to include parks and beaches across the city.  He noted that should there be a significant level of support any decision to introduce smoke-free areas would not have any legal backing and would require people to adhere to the ban on a voluntary basis.  Such voluntary bans had already proved successful in children’s playgrounds and it was hoped could be extended to other areas.

9.3            The Director of Public Health stated that signage would be provided and it was then anticipated that it would become self-policing.  He noted that such areas had been successfully introduced in Bristol.

9.4            The Board welcomed the paper and the proposals to extend smoke-free areas and queried whether as a result of the consultation it would be possible to select specific areas if it appeared that there was not support for all areas to be included.  The Board also expressed some concern over how well it could work in some areas such as the beach when other activities such as barbecues were prohibited but generally appeared not to be enforced.

9.5            The Chair stated that it was a difficult issue and there was a need to find out the level of public appetite for the introduction of smoke-free areas in parks and on the beaches.  It was something that would need public support to be successful as it would limit public freedom albeit for public good.

9.6            The Board agreed that there was a need to determine what level of public support existed and noted that it was intended to bring a report back to the December meeting on the outcome of the consultation process.

9.7            RESOLVED:

(1)   That the paper be noted and that a public consultation exercise be undertaken to gauge public support for the extension of smoke-free spaces to include parks and beaches within the city; and

(2)   That a paper on the outcome of the consultation and options for any extension of smoke-free areas be brought to the December meeting of the Board.