“And, aside from the significance of his visit, there will be an economic gain to the city of about £12.5 million. This is good for the city.”

The estimated income figure comes after the council announced that just £80,000 of local taxpayers’ money was being spent on ‘direct costs’ associated with the visit – such as public notices and the cordon. There were said to be no additional staffing costs.

And Coun Rudge was happy to announce that Pope Benedict XVI would enjoy a brief ride in Popemobile as he arrives at his Cofton Park service.

Coun Rudge said: “It will be a short journey, the vehicle does not travel very fast.

“We are hopeful there may be a further trip and are talking about it.

“But it all has to be fitted into a very tight schedule.”

The Popemobile, as we now know it, was designed for Pope John Paul II’s visit to England in 1982.

He had previously used open-topped cars but a failed assassination attempt in 1981 led to an upgrade in security.

And two new vehicles, in which the Pontiff was surrounded by bulletproof glass, were created by Range Rover and Leyland for his tour of England and Scotland.