The potential removal of prayers and the national anthem from meetings at Havering Council has sparked backlash from Christian organizations.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), council members deliberated in February about modifying the constitution to reduce the length of meetings.
Typically, full council sessions exceed two hours and sometimes extend due to discussions. The two ceremonies combined take approximately five minutes.
A subgroup focused on constitutional matters will continue to evaluate and investigate this proposal; however, the council has indicated that there are “no immediate plans” to eliminate these traditions.
Full council sessions, which are mandatory for all councillors, commence with a brief prayer led by the mayor’s chosen chaplain and conclude with the singing of the national anthem, God Save the King.
Under the proposed new schedule, prayers would be recited prior to the meeting in a different location, and the national anthem would no longer be performed.
Any amendments to the constitution must receive full council approval.
Conservative councillor David Taylor, who leads church engagement for the Conservative Christian Fellowship, expressed his “shock” upon learning of the suggestions.
He stated: “Removing these significant traditions to save merely three or four minutes is a dismissal of our heritage. It won’t enhance the functioning of meetings or benefit residents in any way.”
He emphasized that prayer remains an “essential tradition” within a “nation steeped in Christian values.”
Havering Council has committed to investigating how other councils schedule prayers and the national anthem before further discussion on the proposals.
In the neighboring Redbridge borough, full council meetings start with a prayer, but the national anthem is omitted at the end. Meanwhile, Newham Council neither opens its sessions with a prayer nor concludes with the national anthem.
A representative for Havering Council informed the LDRS: “We will research how other London councils handle prayers and the national anthem before bringing the matter before the constitutional working group. Should there be a recommendation to adjust the current procedures, it would require approval from the governance committee and the full council.”
