The Corporation of Hamilton has urged the public to turn out tonight for a Government hosted meeting on municipal reform.

Charles Gosling, the Mayor of Hamilton, said the change “essentially strips the ratepayer in the City of their voting right, including the residents”.

Ratepayers were especially called upon for the town hall meeting, set for 5.30pm at the Heritage Worship Centre on Dundonald Street. City Hall issued a statement yesterday that the legislation turning the municipalities for Hamilton and St George’s into quangos had been tabled in Parliament by Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs, one week after the close of public consultation online.

Feedback had been “overwhelmingly against any kind of Government interference in the municipalities”, the statement said.

Mr Gosling called the change “entirely undemocratic” and added: “I strongly encourage everyone, especially the ratepayers and residents of the City to attend the town hall on Thursday so that they can ask questions of the minister about their voting rights and impending lack thereof.”