Council chief executive Sandy Graham told councillors at a budgets meeting this week more would be known in May.
‘‘In May, we’ll have a far better idea where this year’s programme is at."
This would help the council work out what could be suitable for 2026-27, she said.
Ms Graham said there had been a ‘‘slight slowing’’ in delivering this year’s capital programme.
She was confident the council would achieve full delivery of its planned spend on water infrastructure and there would be strong delivery on transport projects.
Delays in other projects could be expected and this could give councillors options for deciding what to do for the 2027-37 long-term plan, she said.
Almost $240 million of capital spending was included in budgets for the draft 2026-27 annual plan, but it has been signalled already the actual figure is likely to be closer to $200m.
The start of a rethink about capital spending has been happening against a backdrop of the council anticipating how it will need to adjust to a planned government-imposed rates cap.
Ms Graham has also said the council has to bear in mind what would be affordable and realistic to deliver.
Cr Brent Weatherall said most of the capital programme would not be discretionary spending.
‘‘Maintaining ageing infrastructure and essential services - ensuring our city functions reliably and safely - does not come cheap.’’
Cr Doug Hall said any failure to invest steadily shifted the cost and risk into the future.
Cr Steve Walker agreed: ‘‘We fail to upgrade and invest at our peril, actually.’’
Cr Russell Lund said the council needed to get to grips with a constrained environment.
Among his thoughts were that it was not the right time to embark on creating a destination playground at Marlow Park, and planned seismic remediation of the town hall could be paused pending more information about government rule changes.
Mayor Sophie Barker said, in the end, the community would tell elected members which projects they did or did not want to proceed.
