New Year's Eve celebrations in Hamilton are to be significantly quieter than last year.

The event is a casualty of the City of Hamilton's declining revenue.

The organisation's treasurer, Gary Edwards, reported it to be $1.4 million less than budget for the nine months leading up to September 30.

He said the proposed City Rangers programme also looked uncertain as a result of the revenue fall in wharfage and parking.

"We're doing our best to keep expenses down and to control payroll ... we're all striving, here and particularly City engineering, to cut back and do just what's necessary to do."

His comments came at a public meeting of the City of Hamilton held yesterday.

Admission to last year's New Year's Eve celebration on Front Street was free and included performances by reggae singers Collie Buddz and Troy Anthony.

Chief operating officer Edward Benevides said the organisation found "no sponsorship other than ourselves" for celebrations this year.

"We needed over $100,000 and we got zero," he said.

The rangers programme was too expensive for the City at this time, Mayor Charles Gosling said.

"Until we know what we're getting in terms of compensation for the use of our docks, for us to go into a programme like this, which may cost as much as $1 million a year — we're stuck."

Deputy Mayor Glen Smith added: "Maybe it's because the streets are so empty these days, but there appears to be more policing."

Vagrants remain a problem for the City, with reports of vagrancy and street soiling.

Mr. Gosling said: "We're looking at doing some press on the issue with vagrancy. The amount of human faeces found on streets as well as in parks needs to be addressed seriously."