Lichfield District Council has been urged to “keep its powder dry” on the issue of combined authorities.
Members of the Cabinet will meet with Staffordshire County Council today to understand what appetite their may be for a more joined up political plan.
It follows a meeting attended by Lichfield District council leader Mike Wilcox with members of a planned Greater Birmingham authority.
A meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee meeting earlier this week saw a number of councillors call for the local authority to act quickly to forge closer links with Staffordshire.
But Cllr Doug Constable said it was too early to make any decisive judgement.
“There are certain to be some positive posibilities,” he explained. “But we need to see these positives and then we will know which way to go.
“For now, we should keep our powder try and make sure we don’t blow out tops too early.”
His conservative colleague Cllr Alan White had earlier warned against any link-up with Birmingham, warning Lichfield may be used to provide resources and receive very little in return.
Fellow Tory Thomas Marshall echoed Cllr White’s concerns.
He said: “The thought of linking with Birmingham City Council fills me with dread.
“They have proven themselves inept at dealing with the Trojan Horse school situation and I think it would be very detrimental for us to do anything in close proximity with them.”
Leader Mike Wilcox said he recognised that decisions could not yet be taken as he prepared for today’s meeting with Staffordshire County Council colleagues, but insisted the area would not be “bullied”.
“We will do what is right,” he said.
“The meeting with Staffordshire County Council will give us a chance to find out what their views are on the combined authority issue.
“They have already met with Tamworth and East Staffordshire so we should get a good idea.
“Things are going at pace on this, but we need to make sure we understand the mechanics of what a combined authority really means.”
