CRAVEN District Council is gearing itself up to police the smoking ban in bars, restaurants and workplaces.

The ban comes into force on July 1 and covers virtually all enclosed public places, including offices, factories, pubs and restaurants.

Local authorities have been given the power to enforce the legislation and across the country council officers are being trained on how to oversee the ban and deal with those who refuse to stub out their cigarettes.

Craven District Council's head of environmental health, Lindsey Quinn, explained that the council's approach to the ban would be centred on "advice and education".

She said two officers - one from the licensing department and another from the food and workplace safety section - were to go on training courses regarding the enforcement of the new laws. They would then feed their knowledge to other council staff.

Mrs Quinn said the council would also be drawing up an enforcement policy in line with other authorities across North Yorkshire.

Some councils are planning to deploy teams of officers to go into pubs and other public places to snoop on smokers and hand out £50 on-the-spot fines.

But Mrs Quinn said that would not be happening in Craven.

She explained: "We are not going to be saying to officers: go out there and blitz pubs and clubs for evidence of smoking'.

"I know some local authorities are employing staff to target smokers but we are not going down that route. We do not have the resources to do that."

But she said the council would not let people get away with flouting the rules and would be placing responsibility on the owners and managers of pubs and businesses.

She added that the council would also investigate complaints of smoking in public places. It would also ensure businesses and workplaces had put up the correct signs and had no-smoking policies in place.

A range of guidance is available to download from www.smokefreeengland.co.uk and businesses can order free signage via the website or by calling the Smoke Free England information line on 0800 169 169 7.

Under the ban, company owners have a duty to ensure their customers comply. They are liable for fines of £200 if the correct signs are not displayed and £2,500 if they refuse to enforce the ban.

Meanwhile, with less than 50 days to go before the ban is introduced, NHS stop smoking services have reported an increase in people coming forward to quit.

They say that with over 70 per cent of smokers wanting to kick the habit, they are seeing it as an opportunity to quit or at least cut down.

A stop smoking programme will start in Skipton later this month.

The free seven-week group clinic will provide smokers with specialist help and a quit plan.

Sessions will be held at the Friends Meeting House, in The Ginnel, with the first taking place on Thursday May 31 between 4pm and 5pm.For more information call the North Yorkshire Stop Smoking Service on 0845 8770025.