HUNDREDS of smokers who work for Bury Council have just one week left to enjoy a cigarette indoors.

From August 1, their employers are banning smoking in all local authority buildings, entrances and even adjoining car parks and land. Visitors, contractors and councilIors are also covered by the ban.

Bosses say they have a duty to protect their staff from the effects of passive smoking. They say it is no longer acceptable for a socially responsible public sector employer to promote health while providing smoking rooms.

School governors are being recommended to adopt the policy: so far 42 schools in the borough, around half, have imposed their own ban.

Residential homes will be partially exempted as they are classed as dwelling places, and the public will still be able to smoke in the council's civic halls during functions.

But the policy has been criticised by trade union Unison. Branch secretary Steve Morton brought a series of amendments to Wednesday's (July 21) executive, but these were not presented to members.

He particularly objected to the clause which says that staff who smoke after work must cover their uniforms and badges so that they are not recognisable as employees of the council.

"It suggests that smokers should be labelled as pariahs and discriminates against that section of the workforce," he said. "Unison cannot see the link between health protection and this attempt to demonise smokers. We also feel it infringes on their civil rights."

Staff will also be asked to refrain from smoking when driving their own vehicles on council business.

Councillor Wayne Campbell, deputy council leader, said tobacco was a harmful drug, and the council would offer its staff help to quit smoking.

"Passive smoking kills thousands of people," he said. "I don't think we are doing anything different than all responsible employers are doing."

But Unison's concerns were echoed by Tory councillor Roy Walker for patronising staff who were doing nothing illegal.

He said it would lead to the "awful" scenario of residents having to fight their way through a crowd of smokers outside the front door of the establishment.

And he added: "We are prepared to break our policy when it's for making money at civic occasions. If someone came in to pay their council tax, we would not allow them to smoke: they are customers too, so there's a contradiction."