It was said in the mists of time that those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

Many centuries later, Birmingham City Council is doing a pretty good job of proving the ancient Greeks right.

The council’s problems are piling up: savage spending cuts to deliver; judicial reviews exposing unlawful decision making; an elected mayor that will put 120 city councillors out of a job, as well as the chief executive.

And so how does the council react to this gathering storm, apart from flailing around and blaming the media for its woes?

The answer is a quite extraordinary display by the crumbling vestiges of the ancient regime. A meeting of the Business Management Committee after next week’s civic elections will approve changes to the council’s constitution which have more in common with the pomposity of Walmington-on-Sea town council than modern-day Birmingham.

Councillors, officers and journalists will be expected to bow respectfully to the Lord Mayor when entering and leaving a council meeting, and if a mobile phone should ring the Lord Mayor will be able to impose unlimited fines.

Quite how these rules are to be enforced, no one is saying.

A highly-paid Director of Bowing, probably.