National Secular Society's victory over Bideford council may force half of local authorities to review practice of holding prayers
Councils across the country will have to review their practice of holding prayers during formal meetings following a court victory by the National Secular Society.
Mr Justice Ouseley ruled in a landmark judgment that Bideford council in Devon had no statutory powers to hold prayers during council meetings.
As many as half of local councils in the UK are believed to hold prayer sessions as part of their formal proceedings. In Bideford's case, the prayers were minuted.
The complaint against the practice was made by a councillor who was supported by the National Secular Society.
The Christian Institute gave financial support to Bideford town council.
Ouseley said in his judgment: "There's no statutory power permitting the practice of having prayers to continue."
But the judge ruled that there had been unlawful discrimination.
Clive Bone, the Bideford councillor who launched the action, said he was "delighted" when the Guardian broke the news of the judgment to him.
He said he was horrified when he became a councillor in 2007 to find that prayers were being said. "It was outdated, antiquated and a turn-off," he said. He twice championed motions trying to get the practice halted but they were defeated.
Bone argued that the saying of prayers was bad for local democracy. "It sends out a signal that local governments are for particular types of people and not for everyone," he said.
Tony Inch, a councillor who supported the prayers, said the ruling was a "big shock and a shame". He added: "We seem to be going from one crisis to another. It has implications for councils up and down the country. Where is it going to end? It's eroding the whole basis of Christian life in this country."
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