Ian Quayle of Fownhope, Hereford, says we should look to build cohesion (From Hereford Times)

Ian Quayle of Fownhope, Hereford, says we should look to build cohesion

3:00pm Monday 28th May 2012 in Letters

IT is surprising that, despite his considerable experience in local government, Councillor Chris Chappell (Readers’ Times, May 3) fails utterly to understand Malcolm Rochefort’s point regarding the inclusion of religious practices in council meetings.

I know of no-one who is suggesting that councillors should not prepare themselves before meetings, either individually or in a group, in whatever way they deem appropriate.

The issue is simply whether the preparations of one particular faith group should be included as part of the actual meeting, that is, as item one on a wholly secular council agenda.

In a multicultural, multi-faith society we should be doing everything possible to achieve fairness and build social cohesion.

This is not helped if one faith group is seen to be imposing its rituals on those who might be of different faiths or none.

IAN QUAYLE, Garden House, Fownhope.