However, the council’s "over-delivery" on its capital programme has provided further fuel for a councillor worried about its appetite for spending.
Bolstering the council’s Three Waters programme was identified as a crucial reason for it needing to raise the debt ceiling from $445 million to $480 million before the financial year ends on June 30.
The council voted this week for the $35 million increase, which chief financial officer Gavin Logie said would ensure the council met its bills.
The council was committed to deliver more capital works than it had budgeted this financial year, largely because of Three Waters work.
Cr Lee Vandervis, who voted against the increase in the debt limit, likened the Three Waters activity to somebody investing in a car they knew was going to be stolen.
Cr Vandervis is one of the council’s most vocal critics of the Government’s Three Waters reform programme, which is set to result in regional entities taking over functions from councils.
"We have in the last year or so decided to massively increase spending on Three Waters ... [when] Three Waters is being taken from us by this Government," he said.
Cr Vandervis also viewed the budgeted increase in debt this year of more than $100 million as unwise.
His car analogy did not impress colleagues.
Cr Steve Walker said the reason to repair a car was that "someone driving it might die if you don’t".
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the Government was essentially looking to take over the hire purchase payments and investing in the car now, while the council was still in control, put the vehicle in "better shape to carry us into the future".
The council was getting its assets into the best shape feasible, he said.
Cr Christine Garey said upgrading water assets when the council faced uncertainty about a transition had been a wise call.
Cr Vandervis said after the meeting instalments on the vehicle had been paid for 150 years and the community would have to rent back the stolen car at a higher cost.
