A three-day meeting about annual plan draft budgets was scheduled for this week, but was cancelled.
The material might now be covered on March 4 and 5.
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said this was partly driven by a need to set up the council to make some potentially big decisions for the 2027-37 long-term plan.
It is expected government moves to bring in a cap on rates rises could force some tough calls on expenditure.
Ms Barker said a "deluge" of other changes coming from central government could affect how the council functioned.
"We are in quite a challenging time to understand what we may or may not be allowed to deliver."
She said large capital projects would have to be re-examined.
Councils still had to deal with infrastructure deficits and have assets functioning properly if spending was constrained by rates capping.
"In an environment of huge changes, we need to be able to make sure that we are able to be in the best position for our city going forward," Ms Barker said.
At the end of last year, a councillor group was set up to review draft annual plan budgets and present options to the full council.
The group consisted of Ms Barker, deputy mayor Cherry Lucas and Crs John Chambers, Andrew Simms and Lee Vandervis — the same makeup as the audit, risk and assurance committee.
The council said the group highlighted opportunities around budget options and most related to the next 10-year plan.
Development of the 2027-37 long-term plan could start as early as March this year, alongside consideration of the 2026-27 annual plan.
Delaying discussion of annual plan content until March would have no material impact on the process, but would allow staff to work with all elected members on opportunities identified by the review group, a council spokesman said.
An update to the meetings schedule is due to be approved at a council meeting on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the council is to consider a confidential legal matter.
This was happening separately to Thursday’s meeting to align with the availability of legal counsel, the council spokesman said.
The council is to come together today to share tributes to late former mayor and councillor Jules Radich, who died on January 4.
