REGIONAL health bosses are pressing ahead with plans to create a tobacco control bureau.

To be known as the Smoke Free North East Office, the team will focus on efforts to reduce levels of smoking.

It had been hoped that the European Union's Public Health Fund would provide an estimated £5m to set up the unit. But after failing to win funding from the EU, the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is pressing ahead, using NHS funds to establish the unit.

Members of the authority will be told of these developments today along with predictions that North-East cities and towns are likely to pursue private legislation to further restrict smoking.

The office's first three appointments are due to be advertised this month. They will include an alliance co-ordinator, a second-hand smoke project officer and an administrator.

North-East local authorities from the Tweed to the Tees have been asked whether they wish to host the new office.

The SHA supports the Government's plan to ban smoking in public places, excluding pubs and clubs that do not serve food.

However, the SHA believes that this is likely to mean a much higher proportion of bars will be exempt from new smoking controls than across the country as a whole.

It is expected that the proposed Liverpool Tobacco Control Bill is likely to lead to similar initiatives in the North-East.

Plans for similar bills are now on the agenda of a number of North-East councils and the development of this form of local action will form a key part of effective progress on tobacco control in the coming year.

It is hoped that a string of local bills of this kind will be brought forward, a spokesman said.