Media reports said the council accepted an award for the proposed facility in 2006 and used the proposal as ``election fodder'' in the 2000 and 2004 council elections.

Liberal councillor Zaya Toma has called for the council ``to come clean and say why the youth of Fairfield an area with one of the highest levels of youth disadvantage and disaffection in Australia have to miss out again''.

``Promises are cheap, action is everything,'' he said.

``It is unacceptable to say one thing during elections and do another thing in council.''

As reported in the Fairfield Champion on August 12 this year, the council had earmarked the council parking lot on the corner of Barbara and Kenyon streets as the site for the centre, but later stated ``the project went to tender but the costs were some 30 per cent over budget''.

Ian Allen, of Visy's Pratt Foundation, told the Champion he ``wasn't sure what had happened'' with the project.

Fairfield Mayor Nick Lalich said in August the council would ``look into the feasibility of accommodating a youth space'' at Fairfield Library and Leisure Centre.

Fairfield Council announced at last week's outcomes committee meeting that a possibility exists for a separate youth facility, ``either on the leisure centre site or the open space adjacent''.

The council is yet to decide whether they will pursue this due to ``substantial construction and operational costs''.