An Alton parish meeting to decide whether there should be a parish poll - similar to a referendum - on the future of Kings Pond will be held at Alton Community Centre on December 15 at 6pm.

For the meeting to be called, six electors had to ask for it. The six making the request were Madison Allen, Charles Kaye, Melba Kellermann, Stephen Marshall, Leonard Meek and David Oliver.

It will be open to the public but only those on the electoral register for Alton and Holybourne will be able to vote on anything proposed.

There will be a discussion of two points - whether to call for a parish poll, and if so what the question will be. This would be decided by a majority vote.

An Alton Town Council spokesperson said: “It is up to the parish meeting to decide whether to call for a parish poll.

“If ten electors present demand a poll, the whole meeting has to decide what the question will be. The question must be able to be acted on by the council and be answered by either yes or no.”

If the meeting agrees a question, East Hampshire District Council must run the poll by January 22, with the estimated £10,000 cost being charged to Alton Town Council.

Voting would take place between 4pm and 9pm. The result would be for the town council to consider but would not be binding.

The spokesperson added: “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 December 10, in the Assembly Rooms at 7pm. The agenda is due to include an update on the Kings Pond project.”