Members of the Rickmansworth Residents’ Association have vowed “not to submit to censorship" – a week after they were accused of “playing politics” by the district’s most senior councillor.

Councillor Ann Shaw, leader of Three Rivers District Council, provoked uproar last week when she warned the organisation to “stay out of politics” when it raised serious financial questions about the William Penn Leisure Centre – questions finally aired in a council meeting last night.

Councillor Shaw, speaking to the Watford Observer last week, said: “When I was a member of the residents’ association board we were very careful never to get involved in party politics. “If that is going to be the way they conduct themselves that would have to be taken into account by this council.”

Association chairman Peter Crispin, who again denied any suggestion of political bias at last night’s full council meeting, penned a letter this morning expressing disappointment that Councillor Shaw did not offer a public apology for her “attack”.

It read: “I saw that there was no defence of the council leader's comments from any part of the Council Chamber last night [Tuesday], although Councillor Shaw was unusually silent and made no apology for her attack.

“The association's committee has agreed that we will not submit to censorship but will continue to campaign on behalf of our members regardless of whether we upset one or other of the political parties.”

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Councillor Chris Hayward (Conservative) also said an apology should have been made.

He said: “I had hoped that tonight Councillor Shaw would apologise in public to the Rickmansworth Residents’ Association for the insults that she directed at them in the Watford Observer; either that or deny that she did say those things to the Watford Observer.

“Quite honestly we, as politicians, expect to get insulted by Councillor Shaw and regularly do so. But it is not fair on members of public to be treated in the same way.”

Labour group leader Councillor Francis Durham added: “if the residents’ association were ‘playing politics’ then surely that is all to the good. If everybody did that we would have a much better society.

Councillor Shaw said the residents’ association had “every right” to attend meetings and that the right to free speech also applied to her.”

Mr Crispin, a former Conservative councillor, also demanded an independent and public inquiry into the William Penn Leisure Centre project – currently running nearly two years late and over budget.