The council recorded a $241,000 overspend in personnel costs after the first month of the new financial year.
Chief financial officer Carolyn Allan told the council’s finance and council-controlled organisations committee this week the situation was partly mitigated through management of vacancies.
Corporate services general manager Rob West estimated the number of vacancies was 80-85.
Asked by Cr Kevin Gilbert if the council was identifying roles no longer required, Ms Allan said it was working through this.
The full-year budget for personnel costs for 2024-25 is almost $84 million.
Asked by Cr Gilbert about the staffing "churn rate", Mr West said it was similar to local government in other parts of the country.
Churn had reduced in recent months, he said.
The council has yet to provide the Otago Daily Times with more specific information.
Presentation to the committee of financial information as at the end of July stemmed from an undertaking by council staff to provide monthly accounts.
Overall, they showed a surplus after one month of just over $1m when a deficit approaching $1.5m had been budgeted.
The council expects to post a deficit exceeding $28.5m for the year.
Personnel costs had an unfavourable variance above $1.8m in the year to June for 2023-24.
This followed a 7% pay rise.
In July, council chief executive Sandy Graham described this as a catch-up and said "a good proportion of that 7% has been absorbed through savings".
