THE annual Lord Mayor's Parade has become the first casualty of cuts to Bradford events.

The traditional parade, which ordinarily would have taken place this weekend, is the first event to be dropped by Bradford Council after it slashed £88,000 a year - almost a quarter - from its budget for events in the city centre.

The procession, which often included young children winding their way through the city streets in colourful costumes, marked the end of the mayoral year for the outgoing Lord Mayor of Bradford, and coincided with the annual civic service at Bradford Cathedral.

The parade, first held in the 1970s, cost the Council £40,000 last year.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the executive member for culture on the local authority, said: "Due to government cuts, we have been forced to cut back the city centre events programme this year and sadly this does affect the Lord Mayor's Parade.

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"The number of people taking part and watching the event had reduced and therefore when deciding where to cut, this event did not prove as good value for money as some of the others."

Although the parade will not take place, the civic service will go ahead at the cathedral at 11.15am on Saturday. It will feature a performance from the City of Bradford Brass Band and Opera North soprano Victoria Sharp.

It will be one of the final engagements of the outgoing Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Mike Gibbons.

Cllr Gibbons said it would be inappropriate for him to share his views on the decision not to stage a parade, but said: "Given that there isn't going to be a parade, I am grateful that the service will be dignified but also include an element of pleasure for the congregation, along with the service."

Val Summerscales, the secretary of Bradford and District Chamber of Trade, said Bradford Council had been in an "unenviable" position of having to save cash and traders had to remain positive.

She said: "It is disappointing for the little kiddies who used to complement the Lord Mayor's parade because they would work so hard on their little floats and get dressed up and things. It will be hard for them not to participate.

"But we have to leave it to the people who decide these things and presume that they have looked at the footfall statistics and presume this was the least harmful to the city centre if they cut it."

Councillor Simon Cooke, leader of the opposition Conservatives on Bradford Council, said he appreciated the authority had difficult funding decisions to make.

He said: "I have to be honest, I do understand if we have got a choice between funding looked-after kids and the Lord Mayor's Parade, then looked-after kids win."