A referendum over the political future of Sutton Coldfield could be triggered when a 10,000-name petition is presented to Birmingham City Council early next month.

Thousands of residents have signed the petition in an attempt to seize key powers from Birmingham.

As well as the usual powers over parks, street cleaning and community funds, under new legislation, the town can negotiate for a greater say in transport, planning, school admissions and other areas of local authority activity.

The petition calls for the setting up of a Town Council, to operate at a level below Birmingham City Council with a range of powers over public policy.

Residents are keen for a greater say on the future of Sutton Coldfield’s green belt, which is currently being earmarked for 10,000 new houses due to high population pressure from Birmingham,

The petition will kick-start a period of discussion between the council bosses and Sutton Coldfield campaigners over the type of Town Council and its all important powers, which could then be put to voters as early as May 2014.

The petition, collected over the last year, has been driven by the Sutton Coldfield Neighbourhood Forums.

Chairman Ken Rushton said: “We now need to push hard at the limits of what is legally achievable under the new legislation. We want a significant chunk of primary powers in the form planning and transportation, maybe even an element of education accountability, transferred to Sutton Coldfield from Birmingham.”

Despite having been wholly absorbed into the city of Birmingham during the 1974 local government reorganisation, Sutton Coldfield has retained a distinct identity.

It was famously given Royal Town status by King Henry VIII in 1528 and has been proud of this link and the independence it implied ever since.

But the town’s Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell issued caution, saying residents would need convincing that the Town Council would be more than just another costly tier of local government.

“In Sutton Coldfield there is an aspiration for real local power, but there is also real scepticism that this will be little more than another group of politicians and a talking shop,” he said.

The petition will be presented to Birmingham City Council at its next full meeting on October 8.