Faith

After a considerable hiatus the 2009 annual County Council meeting saw the reintroduction of some pomp and circumstance.

Councillors were expected to be seated a few minutes before 10 o’clock when the Chairman of the Council the Vice-Chairman and the Chief Executive together with The Lord Lieutenant walked into the chamber while half a dozen staff who are also amateur musicians sang a song. There was then a short prayer from the Chairman’s Vicar who is from the Benson parish.

Keith Mitchell

The Leader of the Council Keith Mitchell said “It was a very simple, short reference to our duties and obligations as people in government and looking to whatever God we might believe in for a reminder about the importance of getting it right and working together. It was short and simple and I don’t think anyone could have objected to what was said.”

But some of the other 74 councillors felt that the reintroduction of the procedures wasn’t a particularly progressive step. The Labour group leader Liz Brighouse said: “I must admit when I heard about the procession into the council chamber I laughed”

Liz Brighouse

She thought that some of the diverse members of the council might have been embarrassed by the thought of starting the meeting with a prayer. She said: “We used to have prayers on Oxfordshire County Council. I think they were probably got rid of about 16 years ago or something like that, on the basis that they weren’t inclusive.”

Let us know what you think? Do you think it is right and proper that the annual meeting starts like this to bring a bit of dignity to proceedings or do you think that they are a regressive step that might offend atheists or members of different faiths?