UK - Edinburgh Council Remove Voting Powers From Unelected Religious Appointees
UK - Edinburgh Council Remove Voting Powers From Unelected Religious Appointees
The City of Edinburgh Council has voted to end voting privileges for unelected religious appointees on its cabinet and education committees.
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 says Scottish local authorities must appoint three religious representatives to their education committees. However, Edinburgh has become the latest (and now fifth) local council to circumnavigate this by removing their ability to vote in committee meetings.
It's a mark of progress that all five (so far) councils have acted this year to remove voting rights from unelected members. Hopefully, more councils will follow suit.
And in England, three local councils have removed the traditional christian prayer before council meetings with Newark being the latest to do so, introducing a moment of reflection as a replacement and saying;
" It is felt that this being a replacement for pre-meeting prayers demonstrates the way in which the council wishes to work to be inclusive of, and truly representative of, all our communities.”
The dechristianisation of UK politics continues apace!