Essex County Council has become the latest local authority to introduce the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer and singing the national anthem into its full council meetings.
The new Reform UK-led administration revealed the change as the party formally took control of the Council on Thursday.
The initiative was introduced without a vote, unlike in Kent, where County Councillors were given a say before prayers were introduced last month. The recital has also been introduced by Nigel Farage's party at Derbyshire County Council.
“As a party, we're proud of our Christian heritage, so it's absolutely fitting to have the Lord's Prayer at the start of our meetings”, Reform Councillor Jaymey McIvor told the BBC.
Opposition councillors questioned why there had not been a discussion about the change, calling for council leaders to focus on policy.
Councillor Andrew Schrader, Conservative, said he was “perfectly happy” to sing the national anthem whenever, but questioned whether it was part of a plan to “bedazzle everybody with populist eye-catching stuff” while councillors would “get to the end of their term and people will be wondering 'Where is the beef'?”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Robinson told the BBC that residents wanted “actions rather than symbols”.
Reform gained control of the authority after May’s local elections, winning 53 seats out of 78.