Council prayers
Case reference FOI2026/01436
Received 1 September 2026
Published 1 September 2026
Request
1. Between 26 May 2015 and 1 September 2026, have prayers ever been held at the start of meetings at the council? If the answer is "No", please proceed to Question 5. If the answer is "Yes", please answer the following in relation to the prayers: 2. If the practise of holding prayers began after 26 May 2015, please provide the start date. 3. If the practise of holding prayers ended between 26 May 2015 and 1 September 2026, please provide the date that they ceased. If prayers are still said at the council, please reply "still held" or words to that effect. 4. If prayers are still held at the council, please specify: a) What religion (if applicable) are the prayers at present? (If they reflect multiple religions, please specify "multifaith") b) Do the prayers reflect the council's chaplain, if applicable? c) Are the prayers held as an official agenda item, or are they held before the meeting starts and not on the agenda? 5. If prayers are not held at the council currently, please specify whether any sort of moment's silence or nonreligious reflection takes place instead.
Response
1. Between 26 May 2015 and 1 September 2026, have prayers ever been held at the start of meetings at the council? Prayers are said prior to the start of every Full Council meeting (they are not held for any other Committee meeting).
If the answer is "No", please proceed to Question 5.
If the answer is "Yes", please answer the following in relation to the prayers:
2. If the practise of holding prayers began after 26 May 2015, please provide the start date. They have taken place prior to every Full Council meeting (and before May 2015) - we don't have records going back that far, so cannot give a start date.
3. If the practise of holding prayers ended between 26 May 2015 and 1 September 2026, please provide the date that they ceased. If prayers are still said at the council, please reply "still held" or words to that effect. Still held
4. If prayers are still held at the council, please specify:
a) What religion (if applicable) are the prayers at present? (If they reflect multiple religions, please specify "multifaith")
b) Do the prayers reflect the council's chaplain, if applicable?
c) Are the prayers held as an official agenda item, or are they held before the meeting starts and not on the agenda?
When the Mayor is elected (May each year), they will decide who their chaplain will be for their Mayoral year. There is no 'Council Chaplain'. Prayers are taken just prior to the start of each Full Council meeting so are not an official agenda item (and therefore do not appear on the agenda).
5. If prayers are not held at the council currently, please specify whether any sort of moment's silence or nonreligious reflection takes place instead.
N/A
Documents
This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.