It is disappointing the Otago Regional Council has not met its own deadlines for some projects, but that is the nature of the business, Cr Stephen Woodhead says.
His comments came as the council considered its 12-month review of projects at a recent meeting.
The review compared financial and non-financial information with performance targets and the budget for the 12 months to June 2010.
It showed the council had spent more than budgeted for in some areas such as air quality (by $358,000) and underspent in areas such as rivers and waterways ($4,173,000) and transport ($1,957,000).
Non-rate funded revenue was down in most categories such as transport ($1,196,000), consents and compliance ($542,000) and land ($546,000).
Most of the variations in the budgeted amounts were due to projects being delayed, or in the case of consents and compliance, a smaller number of consents being applied for.
Cr Woodhead said a lot of the work was starting and would "trip over" into the next financial year.
"It's disappointing we have not met the deadlines.
"Some are tied up in legal arguments; it's part of the business we are in," Cr Woodhead said.
Despite the delays, the funding was sitting there and would "smooth the path forward" for ratepayers in the next financial year, he said.
The full financial position of council for the year will be presented in its annual report to council on September 15.
