Community gardens, marae projects, neighbours days and street parties -- all could be axed by Auckland's local boards, which are under instruction to make cost savings as the council tries to fill a $295 million shortfall.
In the Albert-Eden area, this may mean culling a cultural festival that brought about 30 schools together each year.
However, Year 6 students at Ōwairaka District School had some strong words to say about this.
"It would be very sad because I had a lot of fun every year I did it," Alex said.
"It's just so fun and you learn so much stuff -- not just dances," Joe said.
"You learn a bit of language sometimes, and manners in that country."
Each year, schools from across the local board area united for the Albert-Eden Cultural Festival, performing to crowds of up to 100,000 people throughout the day.
So when teachers caught wind that the event could be cut, they set their students a writing task with a real world application and sent off a stack of 60 letters to the local board.
The following is a compilation of nine students' letters:
To whom it may concern,
Did you go to the Albert-Eden Cultural Festival? If so, you would know why we all want to keep it.
We were just told that the cultural festival may not go ahead in the future. This makes me feel sad.
I have been going to culture groups ever since I was in the Tongan group in Year 2.
Kids need to be confident. Dancing on a big stage in front of the community is the perfect way to gain confidence.
Not only do I love embracing other cultures; I love to put the work in practice.
It's good for other people so they can experience other countries' dances and food.
I love the cultural festival. It is a great way for kids to get out of the house and socialise.
It supports small companies, which is good for the economy. Buying their products will help them greatly.
Please keep the cultural festival going each year.
Yours sincerely,
The students of Ōwairaka District School
Year Six student Alyan came to New Zealand and started learning English just 10 months ago.
Since starting at Ōwairaka, he had been looking forward to the chance to showcase his culture.
"When I heard that the cultural festival was not going to be happening, I got a little bit sad," he said.
Now, Alyan hoped his letter would be persuasive enough to maintain the event's funding, to the tune of $20,000.
But Elska did not envy the local board, which may need to make tough decisions to reduce its spending by $766,000 in the next budget.
"It is pretty expensive with all the food trucks, the dancers; I think you have to rent the park and the stage, so it's pretty expensive, and they have to decide."
Ōwairaka principal Sheryl Fletcher said the festival had been a big part of the school for many years.
Each year about 90 percent of the school joined one of more than 10 groups that practised diligently for their public performance.
"It's not just our school, obviously, it's all the Albert-Eden schools that are a part of that, but for Ōwairaka we really do have a presence with our 11-13 groups, so we really want it to continue."
She had made a submission to the council on behalf of the school, and hoped the local board could find a way to keep funding key community events.
"I have been a principal in a previous school where I wouldn't even know who the local board was, but in Albert-Eden, the local board really get involved and bring all the community together," Fletcher said.
"Those things seem to be important. They do a good job for those, so hopefully they can make their cuts in other ways, rather than the things that bring our community together."
Consultation on the council's budget, including local board funding, closes at 11pm on Tuesday.
