COUNCILLORS have backed plans to introduce no-smoking zones around children’s play areas in Basingstoke and Deane.

As previously reported by The Gazette, councillors discussed a plan by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council last November to implement a voluntary 10-metre no-smoking policy around all 144 play parks in the area.

The scheme, which has proved popular in Cheshire and Merseyside, was first raised by the borough’s Labour group after they were approached by Popley father-of-two Professor Eric Anderson.

One option that was originally considered by the council was the creation of a bylaw as a legal enforcement tool to stop people smoking in and around play areas.

However, councillors agreed that the process to create a bylaw would take too long.

A public consultation was held between March and June, with 96 per cent of the 350 respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that children should be protected from second hand or passive smoke.

In addition, 88 per cent of people agreed or strongly agreed that there should be a voluntary ban on tobacco cigarette smoking within 10 metres of a children’s outdoor play area and 78 per cent of people agreed or strongly agreed that there should be a voluntary ban on e-cigarette smoking within 10 metres of a children’s play area.

And councillors on the local authority’s community, environment and partnerships committee backed the plans at a meeting last Wednesday.

The borough council will now run a competition for schools across the borough to design the sign which will be displayed at play areas explaining the voluntary code.

It is hoped that parish councils will also introduce the voluntary scheme in their 49 play parks.

In a report to the committee, Cabinet member for partnerships, Councillor Cathy Osselton, said: “I am encouraged that the vast majority of respondents recognise the harm of passive smoking to health and that they support the introduction of a voluntary code of no smoking around children’s play areas.

“Smoking is one of the main contributors to poor long term health outcomes and I welcome this opportunity to raise awareness of the risks and to reduce the harm to our children.”

Popley East councillor, David Potter, told The Gazette: “I think it is a good step forward.

“It is not a Popley issue per se but it is an issue that affects everybody but it happened to be him (Professor Anderson) that raised it.

“He was pleased with the progress we have made on it but I said at the meeting that he would have liked it to be somewhat stronger in the form of regulation or a bylaw but it is a softly softly approach really and I am pleased with the way the committee supported it.

“The sooner it gets up and running, the better and I am really looking forward to what the kids produce.”