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The Dunedin City Council has signed off on its ''ambitious'' $850million plan for the next 10 years.
After months of debate and consultation, councillors voted to adopt its 10-year plan at a full council meeting yesterday.
Only Cr Lee Vandervis voted against it.
The plan includes large projects such as the central-city upgrade, an architecturally designed walking and cycling bridge and upgrades of the city's ageing wastewater infrastructure.
To pay for the projects and renewals rates will be increased by 7.8% in the first year of the plan, fees and charges will increase by an average of 4% and the council will borrow an extra $135million.
In his report presented to councillors, Audit New Zealand audit director said in his opinion the plan provided a reasonable basis for long-term decision-making and accountability of the council to the community.
At one point during the discussion on the plan, Mayor Dave Cull had to interject to ask Cr Vandervis to stay on topic after he asked the audit representative his opinion of the plan and in particular the amount of debt held by council companies.
Council chief executive Sue Bidrose also told Cr Vandervis under the Local Government Act the 10-year plan was not able to cover the debt of council companies.
Cr Vandervis said he could not support a plan which increased rates, fees and debt, a plan which went against what ratepayers had voted for at the most recent city council election.
''I'm proud to be the only councillor to vote against this 10-year plan,'' Cr Vandervis said.
No other councillors agreed.
Cr Mike Lord said the financial backing of the plan had been well covered throughout the process and ratepayers would not end up being ''lumped'' with a large amount of debt and nothing to show for it.
''Rates rises in the first year will mainly be spent on infrastructure not a bridge, not an upgrade of the central city, but on things which will stop people's houses flooding.''
Mr Cull said the plan was the most thorough and well thought-out he had been involved with since he first came on to the council [in 2007].