Spending of more than £600,000 on leisure and cultural schemes in Brighton and Hove has been postponed.

The city Council has delayed spending £240,000 on completing renovation work on the museum in Church Street, Brighton, because of problems with water penetrating the building.

The museum should have opened by now but the target date is now next spring.

Another £177,000 has been postponed on renovating Hove Museum because of staff shortages and delays in getting planning permission.

The council has also been unable to complete a scheme for improving the BMX track at Sheepcote Valley.

This is because travellers have been occupying part of the site.

Another £200,000 for the next stage of the seafront redevelopment scheme has also been delayed.

Work on this stage, near the West Pier, will not now start until April in a bid to lessen financial pressure on the authority.

Another scheme being delayed is extensions to Varndean School at Brighton because the main contractor went into receivership.

Some road improvement schemes have been delayed because of consultations.

Resources director Paul Hart said in a report to councillors it was important for the council to spend its capital budget.

He said there was a danger that the council would lose outside funding or income through delays on some projects.

Some good news for the council is a £50,000 sum from the developers of the Van Alen building in Marine Parade as part of planning permission.

This cash will be put towards providing two homes in Islingword Road.