Drive to help businesses prepare for smoking ban

3.54.51pm GMT Mon 19th Feb 2007

Richmond Council is set to raise awareness among local businesses and other organisations of their legal responsibilities ahead of the smoking ban which comes into force on 1 July this year.

In common with all local authorities, the Council will receive funding from the Department of Health to help businesses in the borough comply with the new legislation. The authority will build on the national publicity campaign with its own effort to increase awareness via a newsletter and other initiatives targeted at local organisations. Some of the work will include visits specifically to talk about the ban, which will also be discussed at food hygiene, health and safety and licensing visits. Businesses wanting questions answered should contact the Council's Commercial Environmental Health team.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Martin Elengorn said:

"Business awareness is crucial to the successful implementation of this new law. That is why we are working hard to ensure businesses and other organisations are fully aware of what going smoke-free means. The emphasis in using the funding will be on ensuring that businesses are properly informed ahead of the ban coming into force and have good guidance on how to implement it. Enforcement powers may have to be used if, despite our best efforts, there are serious transgressions. However, when similar legislation has been introduced elsewhere, compliance is high and generally self-enforcing. When the law is in force, we will be carrying out our new duties in conjunction with existing health and safety inspection work, which will include unannounced visits."