Merivale centre in financial crisis

Labour's Social Development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni and Merivale Community Centre chair Chris Rapson discussed the centre's diminishing funds and the affect it could have in the Merivale community. Photo / Brook Bath

A community centre that is seen as a crucial part of one of the most deprived communities in Tauranga could face having its doors shut for good.

The Merivale Community Centre is facing a dim future if funding under the Ministry of Social Development contracts and grants does not meet the increase in services provided.

The non-government organisation receives funding through a mixture of grants and Ministry of Social Development contracts, however the philanthropic money gained through grants was becoming less and no new money was being distributed.

A committee of six people sat down with Labour's social development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni last week to discuss the future of the centre.

In the 2013 deprivation index, which measured the levels of deprivation in New Zealand suburbs, the area of Yatton Park (in Merivale) received the worst ranking.

"This particular area is one of the most deprived areas in the country, no-one would think that exists in Tauranga but it does," Mrs Sepuloni said.

She said the Government needed to be held to account.

"If crucial community services are at risk then we can raise alarm bells and make sure we can hold the Government to account on ensuring that these services remain in place, such as the community centre," Ms Sepuloni said. "It will be detrimental to the community if the service wasn't here."

Youth co-ordinator Carlee Williams said the community centre was "more than necessary" for the Merivale community.

She said the centre provided youth and children an escape from "the chaos" that happened on the streets of the struggling community.

"Our kids here need us, whanau need us here for their kids otherwise we've got kids on the streets doing nothing."

Merivale Community Centre manager Rachel Palmer said the centre had been forced into a temporary cash-flow crisis before, which closed the centre for a few months. "This has happened to Merivale in the past and the centre had to take a loan as well as close for a few months until other budgeted funds were received."

The Ministry of Social Development did not respond to questions in time for this edition.