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# Combined authority benefits won’t come overnight, warns Lichfield District Council leader
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/combined-authority-benefits-wont-come-overnight-warns-lichfield-district-council-leader/
- Published: 2015-09-01T08:30:19.000Z
- Updated: 2015-09-01T09:23:28.000Z
- Description: Any benefits of joining a combined authority will not come immediately, the leader of Lichfield District Council has predicted.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 20:42, News

Any benefits of joining a combined authority will not come immediately, the leader of Lichfield District Council has predicted.

Councillors are set to vote on whether to join a West Midlands link-up in October.

[![Cllr Mike Wilcox](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/img_0684.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/05/19/leader-warns-councillors-to-pull-their-weight-or-face-the-axe/img%5F0684/)

Cllr Mike Wilcox

But Cllr Mike Wilcox says people won’t see changes straight away if Lichfield District Council did join.

“We wouldn’t see any changes overnight in Lichfield and Burntwood,” he said.

“Realistically, the big infrastructure projects will be for the metropolitan areas.

“But we will gain economically if the West Midlands grows and becomes a powerhouse. Riding the crest of a positive wave like that can only be good for us in terms of jobs and opportunities.

“Our connectivity indicates that most people travel to work in Birmingham rather than to Stoke because of the strong transport links.”

However, Cllr Wilcox insists no informed decision can be made until the bigger picture is understood for the people of Lichfield and Burntwood.

He said: “We need to make sure there’s gains for Lichfield and Burntwood in this, or otherwise why would we want to join?

“But if there are benefits they will not materialise overnight.

“There is also a financial implication to consider, where we will need to put some money in for resources, but we don’t what level of commitment that is yet.

“That’s why I’m now attending weekly meetings with other potential members so I can hear the comments of others and give our views.”