UPDATED: 10.59AM A Wellington city councillor is pouring cold water on any suggestion the capital is about to ban begging.

The council's Community, Sport and Recreation Committee will today consider a plan to tackle begging, including an option to ban it in the central city.

Committee chair Paul Eagle said that option is not recommended, and won't be implemented.

"It's all got a little dramatic," he said. "What's really needed is what's listed in the proposed action plan that says we need more resources on the ground to help beggars get off the streets.

"When you have a look at how the various nuts and bolts have to piece themselves together to actually make a ban happen, I mean it's impractical anyway, so, it simply won't happen."

City councillors have heard from a number of interested parties including Newtown Business Group's David Wilcock, who said a ban would clean up the streets.

"I believe it will have a significant impact to protect our communities. The vulnerable, the old, the young, even I've been confronted, I've had two young guys have a go at me. I felt threatened."

Advocate Stephanie MacIntyre said begging is the end product of a long list of issues.

"We must stop the pathways from prison, health services and eviction because actually, eviction due to arrears is a key driver for people falling back into homelessness."

The Committee is also expected to widen smoking bans to the front of buildings and shops, the Civic Square precinct and native bush areas at today's meeting.

It's in line with the government's plan to make New Zealand smoke-free by 2025.

Smokefree Coalition Executive Director, Doctor Prudence Stone said it's not enough.

"Good start but if you really want to be serious about becoming a smokefree city, a lot more needs to be done, and it needs to be done now."