Opponents of a proposed West Midlands combined authority have been branded ignorant.
Chancellor George Osborne opened discussions between councils across the region earlier this year.
Lichfield District Council has yet to confirm its intentions, insisting talks are still ongoing with representatives in the West Midlands and Staffordshire.
But Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the opposition Labour group at Lichfield District Council said the West Midlands option looked to be the best offer on the table.
And she also praised the Conservative leadership for continuing to be involved in combined authority talks, despite opposition from within their own ranks.
Cllr Woodward said: “It seems to me the proposal to have a West Midlands combined authority is the only show in town at a local government level.
“The political leadership of Lichfield District Council are looking at the benefits the proposals could bring to residents and I applaud them for their efforts.
“They’ve faced a lot of opposition from within their own group because of ignorance and prejudice.
“One Conservative elected representative, who I won’t name, said at a briefing that they had never heard of the issue of combined authorities or devolution – when it has been the main issue in local government circles for the last six months.”
Cllr Woodward also questioned the motives of Conservative representatives who have objected to any link-up with Birmingham.
Figures suggest that Birmingham City Council is facing a significant housing shortfall in the coming years, leading some councillors in Lichfield and Burntwood to fear land could be targeted for development.
But Cllr Woodward insisted the only way to tackle the national housing shortage was for areas to work together.
She said: “I think there have been some issues because of Birmingham’s involvement.
“Eric Drinkwater asked at a recent council meeting how many elected representatives are from the district – not many are.
“Lichfield is a small city that people have moved into over the years, but that doesn’t mean we can escape the issue of housing. We need to work collectively with other areas to tackle problems.
“Opposition to the West Midlands combined authority is based on a misconception that it’s a restructuring of local government – it isn’t.
“The proposals are about combining our resources to look at improving transport links, skills and the economy.”
