The Councillor for Greenford Broadway and Warren Farm campaigners have been involved in a Twitter debate over the decision to build a sports facility at Warren Farm. 

Cllr Varlene Alexander responded to a tweet from the leader of the opposition in Ealing Council, Gary Malcolm, who had posted that he had met with Warren Farm campaigners to discuss plans to continue fighting to turn the whole of Warren Farm into a Local Nature Reserve. 

Alexander questioned Malcolm's decision to continue to campaign for Warren Farm, believing that he was not concerned enough about the health inequalities for people in Southall. 

She said: "In a recent cabinet meeting, the cabinet explained the stark health inequalities in the surrounding area of WF. Residents are dying prematurely.  

"As the opposition leader, I would have thought that would be equally as concerning to you and not used as a photo opp. 

"All smiles too. I know there are issues that people are concerned about, and The Southall Reset will address some of those concerns.  

"However, it's only fair that a portion of WF sports ground returns to providing sports again. I believe in social justice, do you? 

"The loss of life is permanent too. We need to consider the needs of ALL in the borough." 

Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaigners responded to the tweet; they questioned her justification for building a sports facility being due to the life expectancy of those in the surrounding area. 

They cited Professor Parviz Dabir-Alai's, Emeritus Professor of Economics and former Dean of Richmond Business School, letter to his local councillor following the council meeting which confirmed the plans to build on Warren Farm. 

He wrote: "It is not possible to provide a direct link between the installation of astroturf football pitches in one neighbourhood and life expectancy data there.  

"Any such claim will need an extensive time series investigation covering a period of at least 20 years. 

"Life expectancy data depend on a whole host of different key drivers, and the most significant of those will be income and the group's wider socio-economic status.  

"I feel that these issues are being ignored and an undue degree of importance is being placed on a single driver: provision of sports facilities." 

In response to this, Alexander once again reiterated that the health concerns were an important factor in the debate. 

She said: "As a local politician, you have to weigh up ALL the risks and make judgments to protect residents which align with your political values.  

"It's not simplistic to explore health inequalities. It's a reality of many vulnerable residents; it's simplistic to suggest otherwise."