SMOKERS can continue lighting up in Huddersfield. Kirklees Council said yesterday it had no plans to use new powers under the Localism Bill to ban smoking in public places such as parks. Councils in Warrington, Cumbria and Milton Keynes are considering outlawing smoking in some open-air areas.

Kirklees leader Clr Mehboob Khan said yesterday: “A ban would be a step too far.”

Birkbyproud said: “The ironic thing is I now have to go INTO a pub for some fresh air!”

Jim83aston didn’t see it quite like that: “It makes me laugh you can’t smoke anywhere but it’s still the biggest income this country has.

“I’m a smoker and it doesn’t bother me smoking outside a pub and am careful not to blow smoke when people are walking past but still get rubbish from do-gooders.”

IntSticks could think of a real-life application: “Huddersfield bus station used to be a fog of fumes, terrible for the non-smoker.

“Thanks to the smoking ban, it’s much better, but the entranceway to the bus station is now a fog of fumes!”

Cynicalagedone thinks other powers may be at work: “If they banned smoking in public the ‘fag end’ police would be out of work and the courts wouldn’t have anybody to fine and it would lead to anarchy.

“Looks like for once the council has made a sensible decision.”

Seanjohnstone was in agreement with the council: “As a non-smoker I do prefer enclosed spaces to remain smoke free, but I see no harm in letting smokers do their thing outside, providing that they sensibly dispose of their fag ends (and so many of them seem totally incapable of understanding how to do this).”

Yeton agreed: “Indeed, I’m an ex-smoker but not a born-again zealot. Banning smoking in outdoor public places is a step too far.”

Charlie67 doubted the council’s motives: “Has Kirklees Council shown some common sense or could it be that they realise that any such ban cannot be enforced, because smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas?”