Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children and Community Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding a voluntary smoke-free space in Finsbury Circus and the following points were made.

·         The Superintendent noted that he was supportive of the proposal in principle but that it posed a problem regarding the future letting of the planned Finsbury Circus pavilion, given that any tenant would likely welcome the flexibility to offer a wine bar with an associated smoking area – this would make it anomalous to have a voluntary smoking ban.

·         The Superintendent added that, whilst any smoke free area would not be formally enforced, it would nevertheless pose challenge to Open Spaces staff if they were approached by members of the public querying why any smoking was taking place in a smoke free zone. Ultimately, his staff were gardeners and not enforcement officers.

·         In response to questions from Members over the potential to discourage smoking in Finsbury Circus, the Superintendent agreed to include the potential for some form of smoke-free space in the Finsbury Circus project going forward. He noted that he would welcome more evidence upon which to make a further recommendation to Members.

·         Members were supportive of the proposal for a voluntary smoke free space in principle but also mindful of the challenges this posed in terms of the effective marketing the future pavilion to prospective tenants, and appropriate levels of enforcement. Members requested that the Superintendent work with the Department of Community and Children’s Services to evaluate, as part of the Finsbury Circus Reinstatement project, whether a voluntary smoke free space could be included in Finsbury Circus.

RESOLVED, that the creation of a voluntary smoke free green space in Finsbury Circus be approved in principle, pending further evaluation of the proposal as part of the Finsbury Circus Reinstatement project.