A RURAL County Durham authority is to introduce a no-smoking policy.

Members of Teesdale District Council's corporate services committee are expected to approve the policy when they meet next week.

The policy will be implemented from July 1 and all council buildings, excluding residential buildings, will be smoke free.

Employees, including those people who work outdoors, will not be allowed to smoke during work time.

Smoking will also be banned in council vehicles, including those rented by the council.

Council staff will not be able to smoke at entrances or on pathways around the council's buildings.

Anyone found breaching the policy will be warned informally on two occasions and the council's disciplinary procedure will be applied on the third occasion.

The rules will also apply to council members, with any breaches referred to the leader and chairman of the council in the first two instances. and referred to the Standards Committee on the third occasion.

In a report to councillors, human resources manager Denise Curtis-Haigh said: "The new policy has been produced in consultation with management, Unison and members via the Joint Consultative Committee to ensure that they fully understand the new policy."

The council will provide support and encouragement to employees who wish to give up smoking and smoking cessation advisors from the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust have agreed to run sessions at lunchtime.