12 January 2026
East Hampshire District Council has today announced that the Alton parish poll on King’s Pond will take place in polling stations on 21 January 2026 between 4pm and 9pm.
The parish poll was called by local residents at a “parish meeting” on 15 December under the Local Government Act 1972. The parish meeting was not a council meeting, and the poll was not requested by Alton Town Council. East Hampshire District Council’s “Returning Officer” has to run the poll. Alton Town Council must pay their expenses and consider the results afterwards. In law, the poll is not binding.
The Returning Officer decided that two questions may not lawfully be part of the poll, having taken legal advice. On, “Should Alton Town Council tamper with water levels jeopardising tree health and wellbeing?”, the Returning Officer said: “it is devoid of practical meaning if the Town Council has no power regarding water levels.” On, “Should Alton Town Council commit to following and implementing the results of any parish poll?”, he said: “it is not clear how a parish poll is defined and in addition it is unclear how the Alton Town Council could commit to follow the results of a poll if they do not know what the questions asked yet are (for some hypothetical future poll). The question is therefore devoid of practical application.”
The Returning Officer was not required to consult Alton Town Council and he has not done so. Alton Town Council has taken no view on the poll or on the questions or on the Returning Officer’s decision.
Therefore, the poll will consist of the following six questions:
1. Do you believe that Alton Town Council is listening to residents concerning King’s Pond?
2. Do you trust Alton Town Council to spend council taxpayers’ money wisely?
3. Should Alton residents be consulted on any further spending on King’s Pond?
4. Do you want to remove Don Hammond from any further King’s Pond focus groups?
5. Do you want Alton Town Council to recommence Stage 1 so that the people can take an informed decision?
6. Should Alton Town Council stop investigating alternatives and instead proceed only with making plans and finding costs for the dredging of King’s Pond at its current size and adding improvements such as silt traps?
EHDC information on the poll: https://www.easthants.gov.uk/elections
ATC information on the King’s Pond project: https://www.alton.gov.uk/kings-pond-project/
Draft minutes of the parish meeting: https://www.alton.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20251215-Parish-Meeting-MINUTES-draft.pdf