From the Wikipedia page [1] The Court of Aldermen is an elected body forming part of the City of London Corporation. The Court of Aldermen is made up of the twenty five Aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor (who is one of the Aldermen). The court was originally responsible for the entire administration of the City, but most of its responsibilities were subsumed by the Court of Common Council in the fourteenth century. The Court of Aldermen meets nine times a year in the Aldermens Court Room at Guildhall. Two of the remaining duties of the Court include approving people for Freedom of the City and approving the formation of new livery companies