A committee chairman wants to ban free cakes, quiches and sandwiches from his meetings and settle for more basic fare of drinks and biscuits.

The move has come from the new head of Bradford South Panel, Councillor Robert Reynolds (Con, Wyke), who says he wants to cut Bradford Council's estimated £30,000-a-year catering bill for meetings.

He said: "I admit my meetings are at the end of the day, but I am quite happy for people to bring a lunch box if they want to. I come straight from work to the meeting myself.

"I went to a meeting of the education scrutiny committee recently and I was amazed at the spread. I'm sure we could cut the bill for the whole authority by about £10,000.

"I do agree people need a drink because they have a lot of talking to do, but I don't agree it is necessary to have a trolley-load of food."

But the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups warned his bid to be frugal could backfire - because the members would just charge meal expenses if they could not tuck into spreads on the trolleys.

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said: "He needs to look at what he is going to achieve because there is going to be an increase in expenses and he needs to discuss it with his members."

Coun Reynolds's stance follows a row 18 months ago when former deputy council leader Councillor Mohammed Ajeeb criticised the quality of the City Hall sandwiches and said thousands of pounds was being wasted because so many were being thrown out. Former Labour chief whip Ruth Redfern, who has since left the Council, promised "healthy" trolleys with fruit and salad. But quiches and cakes and pies soon crept back.

Labour group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said today that if meals were not provided at the meetings, councillors could charge expenses for tea. He added: "He is a new councillor and this is just posturing."

The nine panel members, who are from all political parties, can claim £2.67 for teas but must have been away from home for four hours. The panel meets about four times a year.

Last year's panel chairman, Councillor Danny Mangham (Lab, Wyke), who is still a member, said he had ordered drinks and scones for his meetings and no-one had complained it was too little.

He said: "It's difficult to order catering for a committee meeting as you don't know whether people are coming from home or work and whether they are going on to other meetings.''