Politicians have decided they can’t do without their traditional high tea at Birmingham City Council’s next full meeting – even though there are only eight items to discuss on one of the shortest agendas in memory.

Leaders of the three main political parties insisted on breaking for a sit-down meal despite being advised that the session is likely to be over in under three hours.

The cost of food and soft drinks for the Lord Mayor, 120 councillors, their guests and officials at the meeting is expected to be just under £2,000.

An attempt by corporate services director Mirza Ahmad to save money by not having a meal was firmly rejected.

Dr Ahmad told the business management committee he expected the full council meeting, starting at 2pm on July 5, to finish by 5pm, adding: “It’s a question of whether or not you really need to have tea.”

Deputy city council leader Paul Tilsley said he would be happy to “go home and have some of my own spaghetti bolognese”.

But he was overruled by the rest of the committee.

Coun Mike Ward, secretary of the Liberal Democrat group, said the tea could not be regarded as a “perk” and was necessary because no one could be certain the council meeting would not drag on.

He added: “If you want to get good decision-making from people, you have to make sure they are warm and fed.

‘‘If people are still sitting in the chamber at 6.30 waiting for tea we could well see tempers fraying. We should have tea at 5pm regardless.”

The decision to take tea was backed by Conservative group secretary Anne Underwood and Labour group leader Sir Albert Bore.

The July meeting will be the second successive occasion at which the council is likely to rise early after a change in rules was introduced banning members from speaking for more than three minutes on any subject.

Last month’s meeting ended before 5pm, but the council tea was still served.

Officials, under pressure to find £212 million in Government spending cuts this year, have suggested before that the tea might be sacrificed.

Free biscuits at committee meetings have already disappeared, while the council bill for foreign travel has been cut from £82,000 a year to £25,000.

It’s been decided to scrap soup before council meetings, but a proposal to reduce the two-course meal to a single course and replace orange juice with tap water, saving £4,444 a year, was rejected.

Councillors insisted on retaining both courses, although said they would try to reduce the number of guests at the function.

The council tea, held in the ornate surroundings of the Council House Banqueting Suite, consists of a hot main course, usually a choice between standard English classics such as steak pie or shepherd’s pie, plus curry and vegetarian options.

Puddings often include apple pie and custard, jam roly-poly and spotted dick, which is a particular favourite of many councillors.

Cabinet member Martin Mullaney is in a minority of councillors opposed to the tea.

Coun Mullaney (Lib Dem Moseley & Kings Heath) said: “I have always felt uncomfortable about eating at the expense of the public purse.

“We should start council meetings at noon and finish by five, then everyone could go and eat at home.”

A council spokesman pointed out that 120 people attended the June council tea, at a cost of about £20 per person.

He added: “Even if a full council meeting finishes early, members often have further meetings to attend so it is not unreasonable for them to have a meal.”