COUNCILLORS in the Holme Valley have been banned from praying at the start of their meetings.

A High Court judge yesterday ruled that council meetings could not include prayers.

Mr Justice Ouseley made the decision after a complaint by Clive Bone, an atheist member of Bideford Town Council in Devon.

The ruling affects Meltham Town Council, which traditionally begins its meetings with a prayer.

Long-serving independent Clr Terry Lyons told the Examiner last night: “We’ve had prayers since I joined the council in the 1980s.”

But he added that the council’s chairman could decide not to start meetings with a religious appeal.

Current council chairman, Clr Jean Danson, said she does not begin proceedings with a prayer.

“I don’t feel prayers are appropriate because it’s not a religious meeting,” she said.

“I don’t say the Lord’s Prayer or ‘our Father’ or ‘for the grace of God’. I just say ‘let us remember that we’re here to serve the people of Meltham’.

“I agree with the High Court ruling.”

Mr Justice Ouseley decided that prayers were not legal under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972.

But he added that prayers could be said as long as councillors were not formally summoned to attend.

The Vicar of Huddersfield, the Rev Simon Moor, told the Examiner that councillors who didn’t wish to pray could leave the room.

“If prayers are on the agenda and someone disagrees with it, they can step outside,” he said.

“Common sense should rule rather than the opinion of one councillor in Bideford.”