COUNCILLORS have decided to keep their tradition of having prayers at the beginning of Teignbridge Council meetings. At Monday's annual meeting, members threw out a recommendation that the custom and practice should be amended to hold prayers 10 minutes before the formal council business. The suggestion came from the group leaders who had discussed the sensitivities of prayers at council meetings in view of today's multi-faith and multi-cultural society. The group leaders, while appreciating it was likely to be a sensitive suggestion, felt it would be more appropriate for the council to provide a 'period of reflection' at the start of each meeting to enable individual members and officers to reflect on the issues and responsibilities to be exercised and that this replace formal prayers. It sparked a heated discussion at the end of which only three members voted for the recommendation, two abstained and the remainder backed the status quo. Cllr David Cox said there was nothing in the authority's constitution to say it had to be necessarily Christian. 'There are some religions where if ministers came they would not take part. I am sorry. This has nothing to do with Christianity. 'This is about going through traditions. 'The problem is we are conscripting people,' said Cllr Cox, who added that he did not believe in forcing people to attend the prayers because he considered that was hypocritical. He said those who did not want prayers could come into the meeting at a later stage. 'I think we need to respect people's religion. That is my feeling as a practising Christian,' said Cllr Cox. The council solicitor, Simon Barnes, said the constitution did not say what sort of prayers the council had to have or if it had to have any prayers at all. That was up to the chairman. Cllr Cox replied that there could be non-christian prayers and a devil worshipper could lead councillors in prayers. Council leader Cllr Alan Connett said he was an atheist, but he fully respected those who wanted prayers. He then asked colleagues how many were in church the previous day. Only a handful raised their hands. 'You do not have to be a churchgoer to be a christian and you do not have to be a christian to be a councillor,' he said. Cllr Connett believed that entering the council chamber while there were prayers was disrespectful to the chairman and to council colleagues, and he believed a compromise was to say prayers and have a contemplation 10 minutes before the meeting. But Cllr Roy Phillips said not having prayers at the start of the meeting would be a retrograde step. Cllr Mary Colclough said: 'It is a tradition that goes back years and years. To have a padre up there is soothing and calming.' Cllr Geoff Bladon pointed out that because of his work and other commitments he did not always get the chance to go to church. 'That does not stop me from believing and following my religious beliefs. 'It is absolutely preposterous to take away that which has been in existence from time im memorial,' claimed Cllr Bladon.
