HUNDREDS of council staff in Southampton have until July next year to stub out their cigarettes - or face the prospect of disciplinary action.

City employment chiefs voted unanimously to bar workers from smoking on council premises - or when they are on council business.

The total ban will now come into force on July 1.

It will mean all council employees will be barred from smoking cigarettes during working hours.

The ban will apply to roadsweepers, parks staff and drivers - as well as office based staff. Even council employees visiting other parts of the country will be barred from having cigarettes if they are smoking during council time.

Unions said they were "disappointed" by the decision which was taken by members of Southampton City Council's employment panel yesterday.

Barry Olsen from Unison, which represents more than 2,000 of the City Council's 6,000 staff, said the ban would be impossible to enforce.

He said: "We are going to have to meet and discuss this decision and plan our next move.

"We are very disappointed with the confrontational attitude of councillors."

Mark Wood, Southampton's combined unions spokesman, added that his members would be balloted for industrial action if a worker was disciplined for smoking.

He said: "I am disappointed that the council has chosen not to listen to its workforce. We will consider balloting for industrial action if any members are disciplined in any form over the new policy."

Yesterday, the Daily Echo revealed how a ballot of union members held by Unison had voted to reject the proposed ban.

About 2,080 ballot papers were issued by Unison asking workers about the controversial proposals.

During the employment panel meeting, unions argued that the proposed ban would break agreements made between staff and the council in 1995.

But legal experts from the council denied that the agreements formed part of workers' contracts of employment.

Panel member Councillor Peter Marsh Jenks said that employees would be offered counselling and help to quit smoking.

He said: "This is not a no-smoking policy. We are simply saying you can't smoke on our premises."