A group of residents has called a “Parish Meeting” to discuss King’s Pond on Monday 15 December, at 6pm in Alton Community Centre. While the meeting is being arranged by Alton Town Council, it is not a council meeting, under rules set out in the Local Government Act 1972. The meeting will be open to the public. Only those on the Electoral Register for Alton and Holybourne will be able to vote on anything that is proposed at the meeting.
The main item of business is a discussion on whether to call for a “Parish Poll” (similar to a referendum) on King’s Pond and, if residents want to do this, what the question will be. If the meeting agrees on a question, East Hampshire District Council must run the poll in January, with the estimated £10,000 cost being charged to Alton Town Council. The law makes clear that the result of the poll is for the Town Council to consider and is not binding.
As each attendee will be checked when they arrive to see if they are on the Electoral Register and they will be given a voting card, there may be a slight delay to the start of the meeting.
The next Alton Town Council meeting is on 10 December in the Assembly Rooms at 7pm. The agenda is due to include an update on the King’s Pond project.
Updated and expanded 8 December 2025
What is a Parish Meeting?
It is not a Town Council meeting. It is a meeting of electors that, under specific conditions set out in the Local Government Act 1972, can be called by six electors on an issue that is within the power of a local council. The meeting is open to the public, but only those on the Electoral Register are allowed to vote on any of the issues that will be discussed. If the Mayor is present, she must chair the meeting. If she is absent, the Deputy Mayor chairs. If both are absent, the meeting elects a Chair. The Chair has an extra (casting) vote in case of deadlock.
How will you make sure that only Electors are able to vote in the Parish Meeting?
We will check everyone against the Electoral Register when they arrive and give them a voting card. If you are not on the Register, you may attend but you will not get a voting card. This will probably delay the start of the meeting a little and we urge everyone to be patient. The meeting will not start if people are still queuing to get in.
Where and when is the meeting?
Monday, 15th December 2025, 6pm, Alton Community Centre. We hope it will finish by 8pm.
What is a Parish Poll?
This is a vote that is like a referendum, in which a question can be put to all those in a parish who are in the Electoral Register. The question must be answerable by either Yes or No. It is put to the meeting first. Regardless of the majority answer in the meeting (Yes or No), it may then be put to the wider public in a Parish Poll if enough electors present demand it (see below). The Poll then has to take place within 25 working days and is run by East Hampshire District Council: so, by Thursday, 22 January 2026. Polling stations on polling day are open from 4pm to 9pm. There are no poll cards and no postal, proxy or electronic voting. The result of the Parish Poll has to be considered by the council; it is not binding. A Parish Poll must cover the whole of the parish; it cannot only cover a part of it. Alton and Holybourne contain around 15,500 electors.
What will the question be?
In the Parish Meeting, a question can be suggested by a Proposer (who must be an elector). The question must be able to be acted on by the council and be answered by either Yes or No. If it is supported by a Seconder, it can be debated. Amendments can be proposed by another elector. The process for debate and amendments is the usual process set out in the town council’s Standing Orders, including, if necessary, a vote on whether to accept an amendment to the question. When the debate has ended, the question (or amended question) is put to the meeting for electors present to vote either Yes or No. After the vote, and regardless of the result, 10 electors (or a third of electors present if the meeting has less than 30 electors attending), can demand that a Parish Poll is conducted across the parish using exactly the same question. A Poll can include more than one question, as long as electors in the meeting have had the opportunity to vote on them first.
Who is the Proposer of a question?
The Proposer is the person who first puts the question to the meeting, even if the question is later amended. In law, the Proposer’s name and address must be declared, and they must be an elector. In the Poll, the Proposer has the right to visit polling stations and attend the count. No-one else has that right unless appointed by EHDC’s Returning Officer.
How much does a Parish Poll cost and who pays?
The poll is paid for by the Town Council from its income from local council taxpayers and is expected to cost around £10,000 in Alton. East Hampshire District Council runs the poll and charges Alton Town Council.
Alton Parish Meeting Notice and Agenda 2025
ENDS