Dorset councils may cut prayers at meetings (From Dorset Echo)

Dorset councils may cut prayers at meetings

2:30pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News By Harry Hogger

DORSET councils are facing uncertainty over the future of prayers at the start of meetings.

A High Court judge has ruled that prayers before formal meetings such as council meetings are unlawful and a form of discrimination.

The ruling came after atheist ex-councillor Clive Bone from Bideford, Devon bought the case to the High Court.

Mr Justice Oatley did rule that prayers can be said before meetings as long as councillors are not formally summoned to attend.

Dorset County Council chairman John Wilson, who normally reads a short prayer at the start of full council meetings, says he will now seek advice from the council’s legal team before members meet on Thursday.

He said: “Dorset County Council does normally start its meeting with a prayer – it’s a tradition and it’s a tradition that I personally would like to see maintained.

“It’s worth saying that the prayer we have at Dorset County Council is very short and is not in any way tied to any particular faith. It’s a prayer which almost anybody of any particular faith would find acceptable.

“Nobody has ever suggested that they have any objection to it and if you are going to have a prayer it’s about as inclusive as it is possible.”

Coun Wilson added: “I don’t know how it will go in the long term as we as a council certainly would expect to comply with the law and would not want to operate in any way which is illegal.

“I will be taking advice from the legal side within the council as to whether it is permissible to use the prayer on Thursday.”

Weymouth and Portland Mayor Graham Winter says he was keen to see the borough council’s tradition of inviting the mayor’s chaplain to say a few words and a prayer before council meetings continue.

He said: “It’s been that way since time immemorial and I’ve got no intention of stopping it.”

Chairman of West Dorset District Council Gillian Summers said she believed her authority’s protocol at full council meetings meant they would not be affected by the ruling.

She said: “We stand for a period of silence where we all contemplate that the decisions we are about to make are in the best interests of the residents of West Dorset.

“Then after a period of silence, where anybody can pray if they wish in their own religious way instead of asking to follow everyone else’s, we ask them to be seated and we continue with the meeting.

“This won’t affect us at all because we are sort of ahead of the game and we made this decision some time ago.”