The Far North District Council's debt went up $28 million in the past year, which it says is a result of the global financial crisis.
Mayor Wayne Brown says the council has applied the financial brakes in every area it could, cutting back on staff levels, consultants and wages, but the council's public debt still rose from $80 million to $108 million over the year.
In the council's annual report, Mr Brown says increases of that level are unacceptable if the Far North wants to avoid crippling debt levels in the future.
He says the council has been relying heavily on borrowed capital, or rising operating account deficits, and that cannot continue.
