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Let’s pray for better council decisions
Councils have answered a bishop’s call to continue saying prayers at the start of meetings despite a High Court ban on their formal inclusion.
Kettering Council and Wellingborough Council plan to continue their tradition of starting full council meetings with a prayer by not including them as agenda items, as requested by Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Rev Donald Allister.
Sue Lyons, head of democratic and legal services at Kettering Council, said: “We do hold prayers at the start of council meetings only – and we intend to continue to do so.
“Prayers are not a formal part of the agenda, so we do not believe we are in the same position as were Bideford Town Council when their case was taken to court.”
A spokesman for Wellingborough Council, which in the past has held prayers at the start of full council meetings and the annual meeting of the council, said: “Once the mayor has processed into the council chamber and everyone is assembled, the mayor will make a statement that prayers will be said by the mayor’s chaplain before the mayor formally opens the meeting.”
Neither Corby Council nor East Northamptonshire Council hold prayers before their meetings, so are unaffected by the ban, although East Northamptionshire Council held prayers before full council meetings last financial year at the request of acting chairman Susan Homer. The mayor of Corby could opt to hold prayers before full council meetings, but has not for about 10 years.
Mr Allister said Britain was constitutionally a Christian country and he hoped the “good practices” would continue.
He said: “It is surely right to seek God’s guidance in our decision-making and his blessing on our communities.”
Alan Cooke, 78, of Chestnut Avenue, Kettering, said: “As an atheist I don’t think it should be forced down people’s throats.”
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Aliss
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:40 AMOr, if you must pray, then we should have thorough representation of everyone - atheists don't pray, so maybe a reading from a decent book on science instead? I'm not sure that Jedis pray either, but I'm sure that they (As the countries fourth largest religion) should be represented. Not forgetting "Monster grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the Noodle to know the difference. RAmen"
Aliss
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:37 AMNo, let's not. Religion is nothing to do with running a system that is supposed to be there for everyone. It's divisive and obstructive and encourages discord, not to mention being a complete waste of time and money. I don't want my council wasting my money on talking to their imaginary friends, especially when those imaginary friends offend some of my peers who have different imaginary friends. Religion should be up to the individuals who want to delude themselves and has NO PLACE in running a countrytownboroughcity.
ruby123
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:56 PMAnd if they stopped teaching religion in schools it would free up a lot of time for things that matter. If people want a hobby they should do it in their own time.
Mark Dragilocevic
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 06:34 PMReligion has no place in our politics. If councillors wish to exercise their beliefs, they can do so in their own time and in private.
Comedian
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 11:06 AMHmmm,right I will kick this one off then.There are no Gods,and anyone who believes literally that there are,Is not in my opinion of sound mind and therefore is unfit to hold public office.I suspect that most of the general public agree,polititions know this and that is why unlike the zoo that is US politics,very few if any polititions in this country run for office proclaiming literall religious belief.They may mumble something vague about "faith" But if they dicover a lump or blood coming out from an orrifice their first stop is probably a hospital and not a temple.If the opposite is the case then natural selection will see to them.
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