The current Corporation of Hamilton was praised for doing more for North Hamilton than previous administrations, but urged that more work was still needed.

On Wednesday the Corporation held a meeting at the New Testament Church of God for area residents.

They outlined the work they had done in the neighbourhood, such as repaving roads and sidewalks, and pledged to keep working with Belco to put utility lines underground.

Economic Empowerment Zone Agency business development officer Roxanne Christopher said: "I was disappointed with the Municipalities Act. As a business owner there was never any consultation from the local or foreign consultants.

"Change had to come and change has been coming and I applaud this new team for the work they have done in the last year. We need to give people time to create change."

In July the Municipalities Reform Act was passed. It changed the voting rights in city elections, reduced the Corporation's right to collect taxes as well as docking fees and required the Corporation to now pay land tax on all of its properties. The Corporation has called it "financial strangulation".

But Ms Christopher said the Corporation needs to hold events at Jubilee Park, on Parsons Road, to bring more life to the 'back of town' area.

She also urged the Corporation to work with Belco to put the utilities in the area underground, as is the case in other areas of Hamilton.

Michael Bradshaw, chairman of the Up Town Market Association, which is now known as Up, added that North Hamilton was fed up of being treated like the Corporation's "step child".

But he added that the community appreciated the work done on Ewing Street and said more should be done to beautify Court Street, such as adding potted plants.

"When you beautify an area you can help change behaviours," he said. "The people of North Hamilton have been treated badly for years. We have the dump and things have been dumped in the area for so long that now people do not value themselves."

He added: "I want to be clear when we push the Corporation, we are not attacking them, we are just pushing them to do more. The Corporation as I see it is something set up by businessmen for businessmen. Right now we are lucky we have businessmen with a conscious."

Mayor Charles Gosling thanked the members of the public for attending and added that the Corporation was aware the needs of North Hamilton had to be met but that it was important to judge the current members on their actions and not the actions of those who came before them.