The parish poll on Kings Pond in Alton will take place at polling stations on January 21 between 4pm and 9pm.

It was called by residents at a parish meeting on December 15 under the Local Government Act 1972.

This meeting, although chaired by Alton town mayor Cllr Annette Eyre, was not an Alton Town Council meeting, and the poll was not requested by the town council.

East Hampshire District Council’s returning officer will run the poll. The town council must pay the district council’s expenses, and consider the results, but they will not be legally binding.

The returning officer decided two questions could not lawfully be part of the poll, having taken legal advice.

On “Should Alton Town Council tamper with water levels, jeopardising tree health and well-being?”, the returning officer said of the question: “It is devoid of practical meaning if the town council has no power regarding water levels.”

And 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 the town council, and has not done so. The town council has not taken a view on the poll, the questions or the returning officer’s decision.

The poll will therefore consist of these six questions:

1. Do you believe that Alton Town Council is listening to residents concerning Kings Pond?

2. Do you trust Alton Town Council to spend council tax payers’ money wisely?

3. Should Alton residents be consulted on any further spending on Kings Pond?

4. Do you want to remove Don Hammond from any further Kings Pond focus groups?

5. Do you want Alton Town Council to recommence Stage One 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 Kings Pond at its current size and adding improvements such as silt traps?

For more East Hampshire District Council information on the poll visit https://www.easthants.gov.uk/elections

For more Alton Town Council information on the Kings Pond project visit https://www.alton.gov.uk/kings-pond-project/