Former Tory Party leader William Hague met with Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Core and the Core Cities UK body to discuss devolving more powers to the UK's major cities.
The Core Cities Cabinet demanded that devolution to the UK's cities was delivered in the same time frame as Scottish devolution, having also met with London Mayor Boris Johnson who backed their calls for greater powers to UK cities across borders.
Sir Albert said: "The Core Cities are the UK's engines of growth and prosperity - the argument to devolve powers to the regions is beyond doubt.
"Placing powers and budgets into the hands of those on the ground in the regions will lead to better informed decision making and accountability, meaning the likes of Birmingham will have the best possible opportunity to maximise its potential for citizens and businesses. Much is being said about devolving further powers to Scotland.
"There is no reason the Core Cities should be treated any differently. Here in the West Midlands, Birmingham and the councils in the Black Country have announced plans for a combined authority.
"We are putting the building blocks in place and now need central government to support our ambitions."
Williams Hague is now Leader of the House of Commons and chairman of the Cabinet Committee for Devolved Powers.
Core Cities' urban areas deliver 28 per cent of the English, Welsh and Scottish economies combined and are home to 19 million people.
The ten core cites are: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Core Cities UK aims to promote the role of these cities in driving economic growth.
