Does the Ashburton District Council open its meetings with a prayer?
Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Ashburton District Council
The request was successful.
From: Alex Harris
Dear Ashburton District Council,
As you may have read recently, the Whanganui District Council abolished its opening prayer after a complaint was made to the Human Rights Commission. I'm interested in learning how widespread this practice is, so I'd like to request the following information under the LGOIMA:
* Does the Council open its meetings with a prayer?
* If the answer to the above is "yes", then I'd like a copy of that prayer (or examples, if more than one is used), when the practice was first established, whether the council has considered abolishing it in the wake of the Whanganui decision, and any advice the council may hold on the prayer's compatibility with both the Human Rights Act 1993 and Bill of Rights Act 1990.
I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the fyi.org.nz website.
Yours faithfully,
Alex Harris
From: FYI Requests
Further to your LGOIMA request about the need for Council prayers,
can you please supply me with a postal address. I cannot find one
on your website. I'm sorry but our business system requires a
postal address for lodging requests of any sort. It is not a matter
of Council policy, just a system requirement. Many thanks.
From: Alex Harris
Dear FYI Requests,
As noted, I am seeking an electronic response, as part of the purpose of fyi is to make official information public.
To keep your computer happy, tell it I live at 70 The Terrace, Wellington 6011.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
From: FYI Requests
Alex,
Thank you for your information request. We hope the following information
adequately answers your questions.
Yes, full meetings of Ashburton District Council (but not its
subcommittees) are opened with prayer.
The current practice began in 2004, at the instigation of the then Mayor
and with the agreement of Council. We have no knowledge of possible
earlier practices by this District Council and its predecessor Councils.
The local inter-denominational Ministers' Association operates a rota for
their members to attend and say the prayer.
There is no set written prayer and it is left to the minister/clergy to
provide any introductory thought and say the prayer.
No record is kept of the prayers or dialogue.
There is no current discussion on cancelling - "abolish" is a very loaded
word semantically as this is not a bylaw - the arrangement following the
recent Wanganui District Council decision and the matters leading up to
the amendment of the UK Localism Act.
Thank you for your help with my technical problem. That's quite an
address!
Best wishes,
Geraint Philp
Records and Administration Manager
Ashburton District Council
5 Baring Square West
PO Box 94
Ashburton 7740
New Zealand
Tel [1]+64 (0)3 307 7700
DDI [2]+64 (0)3 307 7775
Fax [3]+64 (0)3 308 1836
Email [4][email address]
show quoted sections
From: Alex Harris
Dear FYI Requests,
Thanks for the full and rapid response.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
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