UPDATE The Labour group on Colnbrook Parish Council has hit back after four Conservative members led a protest outside the Village Hall over the postponement of a meeting.

The Conservatives were angry at the parish's new chairman Cllr Anup Babuta for sending an email two days before Tuesday's planned meeting, postponing it because it would have coincided with the Muslim Festival of Eid.

The meeting would have included a discussion over flexibility during religious festivals. Protester Cllr Dexter Smith felt putting it off when enough councillors could have been present to make a decision showed a lack of trust.

But a statement by the parish's Labour group released today said: "The decision was not about numbers in the room, or trust, but about recognising and accommodating the important religious festival days of large parts of our community and ensuring the Parish Council allow the widest possible participation in meetings rather than being casually discriminatory.

"To have a discussion about religious festivals in a meeting that was held on the day of a religious festival, limiting the diversity of participation, would naturally prejudice the debate; all voices should be heard. There is a significant difference between saying the diversity of our community is respected and being seen to respect it."

"The meeting has only been postponed by a week until Tuesday, June 11. "

The row has a strongly political as well as religious undertone - with Conservative parish members lined up against Labour ones over the issue.