Nix the sticks: Tamworth no-smoking zone could expand

The Peel Street business district between Bourke and Darling Streets could be added to Tamworth's no-smoking zone, with Tamworth Regional Councillors this week voting whether to put the idea to community consultation.

Council considered including the block when first implementing the cigarette exclusion zone in 2015, but ultimately didn't.

And in 2017 it declared there was no plan to expand the ban.

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But after lobbying by local businesses the council will revisit the idea this week.

In the business paper to go before councillors on Tuesday, Environmental Health Officer Rachel Mann recommends expanding the ban zone.

She said community feedback was strongly in favour of banning smoking in the Bourke-Darling block.

"It is now clear that an extension into this area would be successful based on the results achieved to date in other areas of Peel Street," she said in the report.

If her recommendation is approved the expanded ban would be put to the public for input for 28 days.

It would then come back before councillors for a final decision.

A 2017 study found that more than 93 per cent of Peel street businesses supported the policy, with 61 per cent saying there was less smoking as a result.

But smoking bans in the CBDs of Manilla and Barraba have not been as effective, according to the report.

The policy relies heavily on "self-policing" - members of the community approaching smokers to tell them to stop.

"Evaluation results have indicated that our community members are not likely to approach smokers and address non-compliances in a smoke-free zone," according to the business paper.

The agenda suggests additional patrols by rangers and more prominent signage to "provide greater encouragement for community members to self-regulate".

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