A PRESSURE group today called on councils to step up the fight against smoking.

Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) have teamed up with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health to put pressure on authorities to do more to protect people at work.

They want a total ban on smoking in workplaces, including pubs, clubs and restaurants and even public areas such as parks and high streets.

And they want firms to get rid of smoking rooms and make their buildings completely smoke-free.

But Clr Dennis Hullock, Kirklees Council cabinet member for health and social care, thinks Ash's demands are extreme.

But he does agree people should not have to work in places where people smoke.

He said: "We are looking towards making all the council buildings non-smoking, but at present I believe there are a small number of smoking rooms.

"I do support Ash in many respects and I think that within five years we are likely to have a total ban in pubs and restaurants.

"However to ban it in all public places does seem a little extreme to me."

Clr Hullock said the council was reviewing constantly how best to stop people having to work in a smoke-filled environment.

Ian Willmore, of Ash,

said: "Councils should be going in to pubs and other smokey places and measuring whether the air is safe or not and I would hope they do not have any smoking rooms at all in their own buildings."