There are a whole host of activities on Saturday before and after the Lord Mayors Procession.

BBC: Norfolk - The Lord Mayor's Celebrations '09

Lord Grocott referred to the recent referendums on installing directly elected mayors for many of England's biggest cities, in which only Bristol voted in favour and low voter turnout was common.

BBC: Former whip attacks 'friendless' Lords Reform Bill

Lord Heseltine noted that local councils had long had the right to switch to elected mayors, but few had done so - not least because councillors rightly concluded that powerful elected mayors drained power from them.

BBC: The mayoral future for England's great cities