Does the Napier City Council open its meetings with a prayer?
Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Napier City Council
The request was successful.
From: Alex Harris
Dear Napier City 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: Info
Napier City Council
Good morning
Thank you for your email regarding Opening Council meetings with a prayer.
I have forwarded your enquiry on to our Committee Secretary to respond.
Regards,
Susan Greig
Customer Services Officer
Napier City Council, Private Bag 6010, Napier 4142
Phone: 06 835 7579 Fax: 06 835 7574
www.napier.govt.nz
Susan Greig
Customer Services Officer
Napier City Council, Private Bag 6010, Napier 4142
Phone: 06 835 7579 Fax: 06 835 7574
www.napier.govt.nz
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From: FYI Requests
Good morning
Your email requesting information under the Local Government Official
Information & Meetings Act has been referred to me by Neil Taylor,
Council’s Chief Executive, who is responsible for responding to these
requests.
Napier City Council does not have a Council prayer as such but every
formal Council meeting is opened with a mediation which is read by the
Mayor. This was established in 2001 and on occasions is modified to suit
particular events (i.e. the Canterbury earthquake, etc). A copy of the
mediation is attached for your information.
Kind regards
Yvonne Moorcock
Committee Administrator
Napier City Council, Private Bag
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01C9085D.D8F2A090 6010, Napier 4142
Phone: 06 834 4143 Fax: 06 834
4147
[2]www.napier.govt.nz
From: Sue Greig On Behalf Of Info
Sent: Tuesday, 3 April 2012 8:32 a.m.
To: Yvonne Moorcock; Judy Bramley
Subject: FW: Local Government Official Information and Meetings request:
Does the Napier City Council open its meetings with a prayer?
Good morning
Thank you for your email regarding Opening Council meetings with a prayer.
I have forwarded your enquiry on to our Committee Secretary to respond.
Regards,
Susan Greig
Customer Services Officer
Napier City Council, Private Bag 6010, Napier 4142
Phone: 06 835 7579 Fax: 06 835 7574
[3]www.napier.govt.nz
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