A COUNCILLOR is calling for prayers at council meetings to be banned.

Currently a prayer is said at Denbighshire County Council before the business in the main chamber gets underway.

But Prestatyn North county councillor, Paul Penlington, says this is not fair on people who do not want to participate in the religious act.

He said: “This is quite a difficult position for people to be in. If they are atheists or non-Christians they are in effect forced to be present during a ceremony they don’t believe in, and have to decide whether to participate out of politeness or to not participate and stand out from the crowd as being different.

“Local democracy should be equally welcoming to all sections of society, regardless of their individual religious belief, or lack of belief. Council meetings should be conducted without anyone feeling compelled to participate in prayers, or feeling excluded, or that they have to absent themselves from any part of the meeting.

“A council chamber is a public place for all people to attend if they wish and therefore not a place of any form of worship.

“I sit quietly waiting for the meeting to begin. I’m not opposed to religion at all, and have suggested a prayer room be provided for those who wish to pray at any time.

“I am only objecting to the use of the council chambers for acts of worship, despite the wishes of those who do not wish to participate.”

Three of Denbighire’s 47 county councillors usually sit out the prayers, but Cllr Penlington said this has led to complaints from other members.

However, Prestatyn North county councillor Tony Flynn, himself a devout Christian, said while he had raised the issue with officers, he was unaware of any complaints about the attitude of other members to the prayers.

He said: “I have asked a question in the past, when I raised it it was about protocol. I have never made a complaint. I am a Christian, I am very relaxed and am happy for anyone to have their views on faith. I am for everyone having their view on faith, if someone chooses not to stand, we all have our decisions to make.

“I will always stand, because I am a traditionalist. I did ask why people didn’t stand when invited, and it was explained to me that it was there individual belief and that’s fine.”

Plaid Cymru group leader, Rhys Thomas, is one of the councillors who does not stand for prayers.

He said:  “I attend chapel, as I have done most of my life. However I do not think that religion should be part of civic or political life and I don’t think that religious assemblies should happen in schools. Separation of church and state is the only way.”

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “Meetings do not formally begin until after prayers are said.

“The issue of prayers at council meetings was considered by the High Court in a case in 2012 brought by the National Secular Society against Bideford Town Council, Devon.

“The court ruled that requiring members to pray was a breach of the Equality Act’s prohibition on religious discrimination and the right not to hold religious beliefs and not to be discriminated for that lack of belief contrary to Articles 9 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

It added: “At the time, Denbighshire County Council was asked how it wished to proceed and the view expressed by the vast majority of members was that prayers should be continued, albeit not as part of the formal business of the meeting.”