In a matter of days, millions of Londoners will be heading to polling stations to decide who the next Mayor of London will be.

Since 2016, Labour's Sadiq Khan has been in the position after being re-elected for the role of Mayor back in 2021 when the election was pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, three years on, Khan could make history as the first Mayor to be in the role for more than two terms, taking over his predecessor Ken Livingstone and former Prime Minster Boris Johnson.

While voters will be keeping a close eye on candidates' policies, commitments and personal thoughts on who to vote for, understanding the role of the Mayor of London is key.

From setting budgets for different public sectors in London, offering a vision of what London will look like as Mayor and being busy with public engagements, the Mayor of London covers a broad and busy role.

News Shopper: Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan.Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan. (Image: PA)

What does the Mayor of London do?

The simple answer to what the Mayor of London does is by working with members of the London Assembly, they are accountable for the government of Greater London.

That role sees them hold responsibility for public transport, the police, civil defence, the fire service, planning, wealth creation, social and economic development as well as looking after the environment.

Plus, the Mayor is also at the head of offering and organising public events in areas like Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square like the St George's Day parade and the New Year's Eve fireworks.

According to the London Government, the Mayor: "sets the budget and is responsible for making London a better place for everyone who visits, lives or works in the city. 

How much does the Mayor of London earn?

The Mayor of London is currently on a yearly salary of £154,963 according to the London Government website. 

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They add that Assembly Members earn £60,416 a year while the Statutory Deputy Mayor earns £107,498 and the Chair of the Assembly at £72,454.

Information on how much members of the London Assembly earn is published every 12 months.

A table of members paid more than £50,000 is also published and broken down into £5,000 bands.