No claim shall be allowed against the city by the city council, nor shall the city council order any warrants to be drawn except at a general meeting of the council. The council shall never allow, make valid, or recognize any demand against the city which was not a valid claim against it when the obligation was created, nor authorize to be paid any demand which without such action would be invalid or which is then barred by the statute of limitations, or for which the city was never liable, and any such action shall be void.