The leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Peter Mason has been called out by the Green Party over not responding to questions about Warren Farm from residents as well as themselves.
But the leader of Labour-run Ealing Council has said the only way he will answer questions from Green Party deputy leader and member of the London Assembly Zack Polanski is by “appropriate channels”.
At the end of July 2023, Councillor Mason attacked the Green Party in a number of postings he made on X (formerly Twitter).
The attacks came after Mr Polanski replied to a posting Councillor Mason made about Warren Farm in which he said he was committed for Warren Farm to proceed under his leadership and that a large sports facility should also be built on the land.
Over the last few years as Ealing Council announced plans to develop Warren Farm and have a large sports facility on it, opposition has mounted.
More than 23,000 people have signed the Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign to get Warren Farm designated Local Nature Reserve status.
Businesswoman, environmentalist and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden added her voice of support to save skylarks and other wildlife at Warren Farm from being destroyed in plans by Ealing Council to develop the land into a large sports facility.
Campaigners and nature experts have said if Ealing Council proceeds with its controversial plans, it will amount to “ecocide”.
Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaigners have also spoken of how they have been ignored by Councillor Mason and Ealing Council.
Katie Boyles, Brent River & Canal Society (BRCS) trustee and Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign organiser told EALING.NEWS: “We have been asking Ealing Council about the undertaking of a Phase 1 habitat survey since March 2023, using the correct channels, and have had no response. 23,000 people are awaiting an answer.”
Some of the worst of Labour gaslighting us all.
Ealing council are planning to dewild a beautiful site – @WarrenFarmNR & build a sports centre there.
Their own plan shows several other brownfield sites where they could build on instead.
And they're calling it "rewilding." 1/2 https://t.co/wtxRvEIwxf
— Zack Polanski 💚 (@ZackPolanski) July 27, 2023
Councillor Mason said: “Typical from the Green Party. They want to protect and preserve all of this burnt out dilapidation & hard standing, whilst the kids of Southall go without the cricket pitches that were there since the 60’s. Sports and rewilding across & expanded site.”
Typical from the Green Party.
They want to protect and preserve all of this burnt out dilapidation & hard standing, whilst the kids of Southall go without the cricket pitches that were there since the 60’s.
Sports and rewilding across & expanded site.
Both a part of the plan. https://t.co/hRk1kG1iiM pic.twitter.com/AptvjVPRfr
— Peter Mason (@_petermason) July 27, 2023
During the social media debate, Mr Polanski asked Councillor Mason to respond to three questions regarding Warren Farm that residents as well others have been asking and not being provided with a response.
He said: “1) Is the hard standing the only land you’re going to build on? 2) Why not just rewild that & have the sports centre on the identified sites?”
Mr Polanski also asked Councillor Mason about responding to Baroness Jenny Jones who asked on X: “Hey @EalingCouncil I’m told that the plan for the @WarrenFarmNR site is a stadium for Southall FC, the owner and Chairman of which is apparently the son of the incumbent Labour MP @VirendraSharma Surely that’s not true? It would rival the Tories for corruption and nepotism.”
I think people will notice Peter you've not answered any of the actual issues.
1) Is the hard standing the only land you're going to build on?
2) Why not just rewild that & have the sports centre on the identified sites?
3) When will you answer this? 👇https://t.co/MmD44Af6ED— Zack Polanski 💚 (@ZackPolanski) July 27, 2023
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, an Ealing Council spokesperson said: “Peter Mason, Ealing Council Leader, has not been contacted directly by either Zack Polanski or Jenny Jones. Should he be contacted through the appropriate channels by the Green London Assembly members, he would answer all relevant questions by reply.”
In a response to Ealing Council and Councillor Mason’s reply, Mr Polanski told EALING.NEWS: “Peter Mason engages on social media up until the point he’s asked questions about the conduct of his council and then shuts down. There are still many outstanding questions both around Warren Farm and the so called “Green Quarter” in Southall.”
He added: “Jenny Jones and I have continually amplified the voices and questions of residents who have written to him. They feel ignored – and often disrespected on both environmental and social justice issues. I’m very happy to send Peter correspondence to both him and London Mayor Sadiq Khan through formal channels if that’s how he’d prefer to respond to their sounding the alarm.”
