Cr Lee Vandervis said the council’s annual report demonstrated alarm bells were ringing and the council needed to hear them.
Those were two perspectives heard before the annual report was approved by the council last week.
Deputy mayor Sophie Barker and Cr Christine Garey reflected on a year afflicted by Covid and various things that were nonetheless achieved.
They included work on playgrounds, an increase in building activity and progress on restoration of the Dunedin Railway Station.
Cr Garey said the council was delivering on its capital programme and she was proud of the broad body of work.
Cr Jim O’Malley was one councillor who seemed to take issue with commentary from Cr Vandervis.
"I don’t believe the city is in any particular danger at the moment," he said.
"We have to look after our assets."
Cr Vandervis said the council had been on an unsustainable path, particularly concerning debt, and continued to be so.
He was also worried about the trajectory of interest rates.
Signing off on the annual report was held up by audit hurdles, mainly connected to valuation of Three Waters assets and showing compliance with drinking water standards.
