LAMPETER town councillors will continue to observe their traditional Christian prayer at the start of meetings – despite complaints.

At last Thursday’s meeting they rejected calls for a Humanist reading to accompany the Lord’s Prayer – as well as suggestions for a minute’s silence for private thoughts and reflection.

Cllr Dinah Mulholland, one of a couple of councillors who do not stand during the Lord’s Prayer, proposed a Humanist reading as a compromise.

“My issue is that I’m not a Christian and I would feel a hypocrite by standing during prayer,” she told colleagues.

Cllr Elin T Jones, who also habitually remains seated, explained: “I am a devout Jew and while I totally respect other people’s belief systems I am being made to sit here while a prayer is being held.

“As a Jewish person I do not take part in the prayer, but I do not expect other people to take part in my own prayers.

“I do not see why we should have a prayer before the start of our meetings – the Welsh Government debated this in 1999 and decided that there should be a separate room for people to go and pray before a meeting if they so wished.”

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