DerwentsideDistrict Council is being urged to ban smoking in public places.

The council's health scrutiny panel wants to see smoking forbidden in all municipal buildings in the district, where there are high levels of smoking-related diseases.

Tobacco smoking is responsible for 90 per cent of lung cancer deaths, one in five cases of coronary heart disease, a quarter of deaths from strokes and 83 per cent of fatalities from chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Steve Howells, the council's head of leisure, said: "The ills of smoking and breathing in second-hand smoke are well documented and clear as having a negative effect on health.

"Members are therefore asked to consider the introduction of smoke-free areas."

The ban would extend to council buildings, community facilities, sports and swimming centre, theatre and arts buildings, outdoor sports facilities and play areas.

The idea is to prevent young people starting to smoke, help people kick the habit and to protect non-smokers from exposure to tobacco smoke.

The plan is aimed to help smokers who want to quit by reducing the temptation to smoke during the average day.

Staff who use smoking facilities in council buildings would be surveyed for three months after the introduction of the proposed policy for their views on the use of smoking shelters.