And so it’s come to this. Birmingham City Council’s financial position is so grave that consideration is being given to abandoning the dinner it lays on for judges on the West Midlands courts circuit.

Let’s hope none of our civic leaders find themselves up before the beak any time soon.

And that’s not all. The annual council meeting, where the new Lord Mayor is elected, could be pared back in order to save money. Cheese sandwiches, a glass of Tizer and a few daffs instead of the usual fine wines and extensive floral decorations, I imagine.

They are even, it is whispered, considering doing away with high tea served by flunkeys at every full council meeting, although that one is subject to consultation given the gravity of the proposal.

All of these events are paid for by the Lord Mayor’s Parlour, which is under orders to reduce its budget by £2.2 million as a contribution to the £330 million spending cuts the council has to find.

Naturally, given the liking most councillors have for a bean feast on the rates, there is a good deal of unease about slashing the Mayoral budget. Get rid of 7,000 council jobs, yes, but cut the Lord Mayor’s spending, good grief.

Director of Regulatory Services, Jacqui Kennedy, is doing her best to minimise the savings by talking up the “reputational damage” Birmingham would suffer were the cost-cutting knife to be plunged into wining and dining.

As she points out, when crown princes and international VIPs come to Birmingham, they expect to be given something rather more substantial than a selection of biscuits and a cup of tea.

“The Lord Mayor is the First Citizen and as such has to maintain standards and project an appropriate image on behalf of the council and the city of Birmingham,” Ms Kennedy told a scrutiny committee.

Always be wary when a local government official talks about reputational damage. The truth is that Birmingham’s reputation for probity will be damaged far more if the council continues to entertain along the lines of a Ruritarian kingdom when the rest of us can only look on in desperation as our household budgets dwindle and are eaten up by higher taxes and rising prices.