Mike Whitby could become Mayor of Birmingham in all but name when a plan to give him a four-year period in office is approved.
The city council leader will not have to submit himself to an annual leadership election under legislation coming into force next year.
It would mean guaranteeing that Coun Whitby remains in charge until 2014, matching the powers enjoyed by elected mayors.
He could only be sacked through a vote of no confidence by the full council, or for committing criminal activities, or if he ceased to be a councillor.
Elected mayors enjoy similar privileges and serve for four years.
But the idea could prove embarrassing for Coun Whitby (Con Harborne), who has campaigned against Birmingham being run by an elected mayor on the grounds that it would be impossible to remove the successful candidate for four years.
At the moment, Coun Whitby is re-elected Conservative group leader each year and then, at the annual council meeting, submits himself to all 120 councillors for election as council leader.
Councillors will agree next May to invoke a clause in the Local Government Act by electing Coun Whitby leader for four years.
It is unclear what would happen if Coun Whitby lost the Conservative group leadership, but wanted to remain council leader.
Corporate Director of Governance at the council, Mirza Ahmad, said Coun Whitby would be expected to resign in those circumstances.
“That’s the way democracy works,” he added.
Mr Ahmad said the council had no choice but to implement the four-year rule.
“We are required by law to do so,” he said.
The proposal was described as “odd” by deputy Labour group leader Ian Ward, who said such a decision would be falling into line with the government which wanted to encourage cities like Birmingham to have elected mayors and was “pushing them down the road” by offering four-year terms in office for council leaders.
Coun Ward (Lab Shard End) said: “Perhaps Mike Whitby has undergone a transformation and now wants to be mayor of Birmingham without submitting himself for election.
“He seems to want all the powers and privileges of being a mayor, without getting a mandate from the people.”
In an extraordinary written submission to the government, it is claimed that Coun Whitby is already the most powerful council leader in the land – eclipsing even Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.
The council’s response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life adds that Coun Whitby has “far more power and clout” than Mr Johnson.
It puts the case for retaining a leader and cabinet system of local government in Birmingham, claiming that “clear leadership is provided at political level and appropriate politicians and decision makers are clearly visible and held to account”.
The submission also argues in favour of a larger council cabinet. The maximum number of members under the law at the moment is 10, but Birmingham wants to increase the figure to 12 to reflect the huge workload involved in running a city of one million people.
