Haringey’s Liberal Democrats have condemned a “rushed deal” on a £6million Tottenham youth centre after it was given the final nod by the council.

The Liberal Democrats ‘called in’ the decision on Haringey Youth Zone, at White Hart Lane, to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the end of March, citing concerns over funding and access for some of the borough’s youngsters.

They claimed the council had only secured outside funding for three years, after which it could face a bill of £1 million a year if another partner could not be found.

It was also claimed that the scheme could be provided using existing facilities instead of centralising activities in one location.

But the Lib Dem objections were overruled at a council meeting on Friday (April 6).

Councillor Charles Wright, chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, introduced a report saying the youth centre did not fall outside the council’s budget or policy framework.

The council said enough funding had been secured to ensure the Youth Zone – a partnership between Haringey Council and outside partner OnSide – would not have a detrimental impact on statutory services or come at the expense of other children’s services.

Responding to the committee’s report, Liberal Democrat Cllr Bob Hare said: “Overview and Scrutiny has validated many of the concerns community groups and local parents have been raising for months.

“What the committee’s findings show is that this project has been rushed forward and that even quite basic pieces of research and preparation have not been done. Despite these warnings, Labour rushed again, this time to sign a legally binding contract worth millions of pounds.”

The outcome means the Youth Zone, set to be built on a site currently leased by Woodside High School on White Hart Lane, will go ahead.

The council said a consultation will now be held with young people in the borough to ensure the project meets their needs.

When it is complete, the centre will provide 20 different activities – including sports, arts, music, employability and mentoring – for more than 200 young people each evening.