T’S the traditional moment of religious reflection before the political mud-slinging begins.

But the practice of saying prayers at the start of council meetings has been the subject of a legal challenge.

The National Secular Society took Bideford Town Council in Devon to the High Court yesterday, arguing that the religious ritual was “inappropriate” in what should be a “secular environment concerned with civic business”. The court has yet to give its ruling. Two councils in Dorset – West Dorset District and Bridport Town – have recently stopped praying at meetings after changes in mayor or chairman.

Bournemouth has seen Jewish and Spiritualist chaplains as well as Anglican clergy at council meetings.

Liberal Democrat Roger West, a member of Dorset Humanists, said he was sensing growing support for the abolition of prayers.

“I’m getting a lot of support for the idea but nobody wants to stick their head over the parapet,” he said.

“Most people – surprisingly, a fair number of the Jewish fraternity – would also like to do away with it. I regard it as divisive.

“I come from a Christian background and my father thought it was extremely important that when you pray, that you were sincere about that prayer. To be in a council chamber where people are being asked to pray but have no faith I think is wrong.”

Charles Meachin, an ordained minister and former mayor of Poole, said: “I defend beginning council meetings with prayer because it gives you just a minute to think there’s a higher authority than us in the council.”

He said Poole council meetings still included a 17th-century prayer calling for God to help members conduct their debates with “fellowship and concord”.

Cllr Meachin said: “We have a tradition in this country that the monarch is the defender of the faith, which is Christianity. The Parliament begins every day with prayers. One of the two subjects that have to be taught in school by law is religious education, predominantly Christian.”