Residents will be asked to stub it out ahead of visits

Health and safety officers have drawn up the plan as part of Liverpool City Council's no smoking policy to stop officers being exposed to smoke.

Residents will be asked to open windows and refrain from smoking about half an hour before - and during - visits.

The council, which will debate the policy on Wednesday, insists the new rule would not be a "ban".

If residents insist on smoking at home during a visit from a council employee, the visit will be ended and they will be asked to attend a council office.

Liverpool City Council has had a no smoking policy inside its buildings for 10 years.

I am one million per cent confident the people of this city will respond in a positive manner Council spokesman

The policy is being revised and updated to bring it in line with the UK-wide smoke ban from 1 July.

The new rules will apply to all residents in council houses and private homes and to all staff visiting homes, including social workers, enforcement officers and planning officers.

The report says: "In circumstances where staff are undertaking pre-arranged visits, service users will be requested to refrain from smoking in their own homes prior to and during the visit."

In cases where exposure to tobacco smoke cannot be avoided, risk assessment exercises will be carried out.

'Legal duty'

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said: "We are not banning people from smoking in their own homes.

"All we are asking, and it is a reasonable request, is that people respect the views and the health of visiting council staff and ask them not to smoke while council staff are visiting in their own home.

"It is a request to residents and we, as an employer, have a legal duty to protect the interests and health of our staff and I am one million per cent confident the people of this city will respond in a positive manner to that.