A concerned Hairini resident has used Tauranga City Council's latest in-community meeting to issue a reminder of why Welcome Bay with its problems of poverty, isolation and disaffected youth, has it so good.

Steve Lasslett believes Hairini, the city's second most populous suburb, in contrast has nothing to show from the council to which he pays rates in the way of amenities.

Hairini advocate Steve Lasslett speaking at the Welcome Bay Community Centre. Photo: Andrew Campbell.

The third in-community meeting held by TCC's Community Development Committee gives the public a chance to speak to councillors on community based issues, this time at the Welcome Bay Community Centre.

Steve, from the neighbouring suburb of Hairini/Ohauiti, wants to remind the council that Hairini with a population of 5,766 people, has no playing fields, no parks, or community centres.

The city's five most populous suburbs are in order Pyes Pa with 6,036 people, Hairini/Ohauiti, Omanu with 5,172, Arataki 5,160, and Matua 5,148. All of which have community facilities including parks reserves community centres and playgrounds.

Hairini has no sports facilities, no cycle lanes, no active reserves and no community support.

'We have some playgrounds and that's my lot,” says Steve in front of about 30 people attending the meeting.

'Our community doesn't come together at all because we haven't any of those places.

'If we want to get together we have to go to another community to get together.”

In the last three years he's unsuccessfully lobbied council through the Annual Plan submissions, the Ten Year Plan submissions, and meetings like last night's committee meeting.

Ohauiti/Hairini is not a priority for the next ten years because he's been told the council is in the process of updating existing sporting facilities.

'The council will only build new facilities to replace existing facilities so the council refuses to build anything because we don't have anything,” says Steve.

He also tried pressuring the Ministry of Education to build a school. The nearest school is Maungatapu Primary School, which is five kilometres away.

The Ministry of Education's population statisticians and data analysts don't see Hairini/Ohauiti needing a school in the foreseeable future, says Steve.

'I have absolutely no idea what to do next.”

Welcome Bay Community Centre Committee member Mary Dillon says he's welcome to visit Welcome Bay.

Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby says a government rule change means community facilities can no longer be paid for from development contributions, instead paid for by the ratepayer.

The rest of the community meeting saw presentations from Welcome Bay Community Centre manager Anna Larsen, MATES men's network Wayne Millar, a presentation by on the newly formed community development team at Tauranga City Council and a progress report and Q&A on the Hairini Link.