A HIGH Court ruling that a Devon town council acted unlawfully by allowing prayers to be said at meetings is having implications across West Devon and East Cornwall.

The National Secular Society and an atheist ex-councillor won a test case ruling that Bideford Town Council was acting unlawfully by putting prayers on meeting agendas.

It is understood the ritual dates back in Bideford to the days of Queen Elizabeth I, and the council has recently voted twice to retain it.

At West Devon Borough Council's full council meetings prayers have always been said within the formal part of the meeting.

A spokesman for West Devon Borough Council said this week: 'Following the High Court hearing last week, prayers have been dropped from the top of council meeting agendas, and will no longer be announced by the mayor.

'The chief executive or another officer will invite those who wish to participate to join optional prayers with a member of the clergy. These prayers will take place before the mayor opens the meeting.

'This decision is a temporary measure. A long term decision will be considered once the written final judgement of the High Court has been published and a view can be formed.'

Okehampton Town Council has yet to make a formal decision as to whether it will remove prayers from the agenda of full council meetings. Until now, clergy from various churches of the town have given prayers at full council meetings on a rota basis.

Mayor Maureen McDonald disapproved of the High Court ruling: 'I think the decision is absolute nonsense. The precedent has always been that prayers are not something people are forced to participate in, and if they wanted to step out of the room they could.

'The worst I expect we will do is move the prayers off the agenda officially, and say them before the agenda items begin.'

They are regularly said at the beginning of full council meetings at Tavistock Town Council — but they do not form an official part of the meeting so are likely to be exempt from any ruling.

Tavistock town clerk Carl Hearn said: 'It is my understanding that it is lawful for prayers or a period of quiet reflection as long as they are not part of the formal business or the agenda of the council meeting.'

The town council says many different groups and denominations have taken part in the period of quiet reflection.

But Tavistock town councillor Brian Trew, who is a Hindu, said he did not believe prayers belonged anywhere in a council meeting.

'I believe the spiritual and the mundane should not mix. If people want to pray they should go away and pray in a private place, it should not be mixed with politics.

'People can use their influence through preaching matters that are on the agenda.'

Callington portreeve and town council chairman Karen Gold said that in future prayers would be said before the formal part of the meeting.

'I would like to see it continue because it gives us a few minutes to take stock of things and reflect on issues in life in general. We have never had any complaints from councillors or members of the public about this part of the meeting.'

Cornwall Council has suspended prayers from meetings until March 27 when members will express their views on the matter.