The Abbotsford community is supportive of a patched Black Power leader with multiple jail terms behind him working in their suburb, as long as it is done outside school hours.
Earlier this month, the Dunedin City Council awarded Mauri Kohatu Inc a $52,500 contract for Albert Epere, the leader of Dunedin's Black Power chapter, to maintain several areas of the city's public land.
Council events and community development manager Rebecca Williams said the areas Mr Epere would carry out weed and litter control and path maintenance included a strip of land between Grandvista and Abbotsford School.
Any concerns the school had would be addressed but the community would not be consulted, she said.
''I think it is important to remember he has been a member of my Taskforce Green squad for 12 months and worked all over the city and there were no concerns.''
Taskforce Green gave long-term unemployed people unpaid, supervised parks and reserves maintenance work to help them move towards a paid job.
Abbotsford School principal Stephanie Madden said she had ''no worries'' about Mr Epere working near the school, as long the maintenance was completed outside school hours.
''Nothing has been agreed but we are aware that we are able to negotiate the timing of the work,'' Mrs Madden said.
Parents of pupils at the school had not raised any concerns but it was the school holidays when the contract was awarded, she said.
An Abbotsford father of two children at the school, who did not want to be named, said he supported Mr Epere doing the work as long as he left his gang patch at home.
''I'm happy to give him a go but I don't expect to see him wearing his patch. I wouldn't be happy seeing that ... but I'm all for second chances.''
He supported the school's bid to restrict the work to being completed outside of school hours.
Saddle Hill Community Board chairman Scott Weatherall said he supported the contract being awarded to Mauri Kohatu.
''I would imagine the council have put the right checks and balances in place to ensure it is a positive opportunity for any new contractor to do some really good work within the community.''
Mr Epere could not be contacted for comment.
