SMOKING bans will be introduced in and around libraries, leisure centres and council depots from October 1.

However vaping, which Public Health England say is 95 per cent less harmful than smoking, will still be allowed. Wiltshire Council offices Monkton Park in Chippenham, County Hall in Trowbridge and Bourne Hill in Salisbury have been smoke free since March. It it believed that that amount of smokers in Wiltshire has fallen by nearly five percent since 2013, from 17.2 per cent of people down to 12.3 per cent. The change will coincide with the Bin the Butt campaign and annual Stoptober event.

Wiltshire Council Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Ben Anderson, said: “Although it’s been a period of transition for our staff and those who use our premises, we are pleased with the response to our hub sites going smokefree.

“It was always our plan to extend this to the majority of our sites as we want to spread this positive health message as widely as possible.

“We know quitting is incredibly challenging, but we have expert support available for anyone who wants to take that step so I’d urge them to get in touch.”