The cash will be used to increase the number of successful smokers quitting, reduce the number of youngsters starting to smoke and to crackdown on cheap and illicit tobacco.

Hartlepool Borough Council has been given the cash by the Department of Health as part of its Reducing Health Inequalities through Tobacco Control programme.

It comes in the same week as the Mail revealed that more than 500 law-breakers have been hit in the pocket for dumping cigarette ends.

A total of 531 people were handed £75 fixed penalty notices in Hartlepool for dumping cigarette butts between April 2008 and March this year.

Health chiefs say smoking is one of the main causes of health inequality with smoking-related diseases causing 87,000 deaths each year.

Council chiefs say international evidence shows the introduction of an integrated and comprehensive tobacco control programme is the key to driving down the number of smokers in communities.

The council could be given a further £100,000 by the Government next year.

Increased partnership work between the council, health bosses at the primary care trust and smoke-free groups will also be a key part of the programme.

Portfolio holder for adult and public health services, Councillor Ged Hall, is due to discuss the grant next week.

The council's director of adult and community services, Nicola Bailey, says in a report to the meeting: "Hartlepool has excellent smoking cessation services, but the key issue is high smoking prevalence rates in the town."

She added: "Illicit tobacco is a key priority and the grant provides the opportunity to tackle this, as well as further develop smoking cessation initiatives.

"There are also significant advantages in partnership working. There are opportunities if more staff become aware of tobacco control issues, and how to signpost to smoking cessation services."

The meeting takes place on Thursday, July 9, at 9am in the Civic Centre, in Victoria Road.