Council advised to review policy after Carnfunnock humanist wedding request ‘misunderstanding’

An officer’s report to the Direct Services Committee, which met last week, recommended approval for humanist and religious officiants to conduct ceremonies at approved wedding venues owned or operated by the local authority.

Currently, a wedding ceremony at a  venue owned and approved by the local authority can only be conducted by a council registrar.

However a wedding ceremony can also be conducted at a non-approved venue owned or operated by the council with a special licence by a registrar or humanist.

Other councils in Northern Ireland such as Belfast City Council permit humanist ceremonies in their facilities.

A report to Mid and East Antrim’s Direct Services Committee has noted that in the case of a registrar’s office, it the legal position that ceremonies can only be conducted by the council’s registration staff.

Registrars’ offices are located at Smiley Buildings, Larne; Carrickfergus Town Hall and Ardeevin, Ballymena.

The General Register Office says that the decision to allow a humanist or a religious officiant to conduct a wedding ceremony in a council-owned approved premises lies with each individual council.

Mid and East Antrim’s approved venues are Carnfunnock Country Park; Larne Town Hall; The Gobbins, Islandmagee; Andrew Jackson Centre, Carrickfergus and Arthur Cottage, Cullybackey.

The Direct Services Committee was told that to date, there have been “very few” enquiries about other officiants conducting a wedding ceremony at an approved council venue and “not all requests have been accommodated”.

A proposal to accept the recommendation was made by Sinn Fein Coast Road Councillor James McKeown and seconded by Alliance Coast Road Alderman Gerardine Mulvenna.

Ald Mulvenna said: “I think it is important that the council can’t be viewed as discriminatory. I would be more than happy to second the proposal.”

Ballymena TUV Cllr Matthew Armstrong said: “I get perplexed when we get these reports coming to council. Nobody has challenged anything to date.

“I do not particularly like it when it is open to legal challenge when it is not being shown to us what it is. If it is the council’s registrar that does it, I do not understand why it would present a problem.

“You would not go to a church and ask the minister to leave and bring in your own man. If I am being asked to do something, I would like to see the legal advice.”

Cllr Armstrong asked for a report to be brought back to council accompanied by legal advice.

Larne Lough Alliance Cllr Danny Donnelly said he felt that it would be a good time to review council policy.

A spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said: “The matter is still under consideration. We hope to be in a position to provide an update soon.”

The Northern Ireland Humanists said that “no-one from Northern Ireland Humanists made any kind of legal threat to the council” and the matter appears to be “simply a misunderstanding”.

The council says it receives 800 notices of marriage or civil partnership annually of which registration staff conduct approximately 40 per cent of ceremonies and bookings “remain steady” despite coronavirus and lockdown. Read here

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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