Passions ran high on both sides during the latest debate on Alton’s Kings Pond.

Alton Town Council held its January 8 full council meeting at the Assembly Rooms to accommodate everybody who wanted a say.

The atmosphere was less acrimonious than for an extraordinary council meeting at the Alton Maltings Centre in 2023, but the options for the future of the pond remained the same.

One side believes separating the pond from the River Wey will be better for the river and creatures living in it, the other thinks the pond has wildlife merit and is a major leisure site and beauty spot.

The council had already decided to look into the technical and financial aspects of dredging the pond.

This time it agreed to conduct parallel research on the pond and river option, which would see the river flow past smaller ponds and wetland areas. Cllr Matthew Kellermann voted against.

It voted to form a steering group, ensure the outcome of the assessments goes to public consultation before decisions are taken, and commit to a “full, engaged and transparent” process involving Altonians.

Jenny Griffiths - speaking on behalf of Alton and Villages Local Action for Nature - said the group supported investigating both options, adding that the most important thing was that the council obtained the best technical and financial information to support any decision.

Kings Pond should offer people “a lovely amenity to enjoy”, she said, with a healthy habitat for diverse wildlife, and be financially sustainable.

Gareth Hurd, whose work involved a year caring for Kings Pond, said: “It’s a complicated and challenging site. It has great wildlife resources but the paths crack and slip, birds spread mud on the paths, trees fall into it.

“From a maintenance point of view, we should pick the best, most financially and environmentally stable option.”

Resident John Quincey thanked Cllr Don Hammond for his recent briefing sessions and interim town clerk Pat Harris “for the non-adversarial manner which exists now between the town council and the public”.

GP and Curtis Road resident James Willis said: “The presentation has shown the difficulty and complexity of the issues. I am definitely in favour of exploring both options. I will always favour the long-term and sustainable option and have tremendous confidence in the councillors carrying this forward on our behalf in a responsible way.”

Dredging campaigner Anthony Furnival said: “I commend the transparency and engagement but it is vague and non-committal.”

He wanted a variety of councillors on the steering group, saying: “It’s important that there’s no single ideology.”

Mr Furnival added: “I am very much in favour of keeping the pond. I have spent ten years working in wildlife conservation and from a professional perspective I can’t see how the offline option is going to work out better than keeping what we have and improving it.”

Graeme Parkin favoured pond and river. He said: “Dredging is expensive and there will be little biodiversity. The river, wildlife and residents could benefit from a healthy river, improved biodiversity and reduced costs, so I back the proposal to restore the river with associated ponds and wetland areas.”

Stephen Gough supported dredging: “Dredging once in every 25 years to preserve the special pond we have is well worth the cost. Should the cost of dredging be excessive I say put it to a referendum on whether we should put a few pence on the council tax bill to keep Kings Pond well maintained and viable.

“The offline option is a potential disaster. It’s a winterbourne stream not flowing all the time. The pond is a wonderful jewel for Alton and managing the pond the way it is is best for all concerned.”

Portsmouth Road resident Paul Ebbutt said: “The cost of silt removal is an ongoing concern. I am interested in the wildlife and biodiversity option. We need proper professional consideration but it could be good for the town.”

Len Meek wished land-based conservation laws applied: “The pond is now over 200 years old. If it was a Grade I listed building you wouldn’t go anywhere near it, or be allowed to. Why in God’s name are you so hell-bent on tearing it all to pieces?”

New resident Jancine Potts said: “One of the things that attracted me to Alton was your jewel in the crown pond. Why are you getting rid of the most prestigious thing in the town? It’s such an attraction. You will be doing Alton a great disservice.

“If the pond gets smaller the swans will be gone. They’re like jumbo jets, they need a lot of water to take off. You should make provision in the budget for dredging. Everything needs maintaining to keep it pristine.

“I hear comments from people who say they are coming to the town just to see the pond. If it’s destroyed you’re wrecking your own back yard. Getting rid of the pond would be like chopping off your own foot.”

Tony Day, speaking on behalf of the Waterside Court Residents Association, said Waterside Court was the next place downstream from Kings Pond but its residents had not been consulted at all. He made a formal request that they be consulted in full.

He added that Waterside Court was shown on Environment Agency plans as a high flood risk area and said there was almost a flood there last year.

Once the public had spoken it was time for the councillors to consider the recommendations.

Commenting on the pond and river technical and financial assessment recommendation, Cllr Matthew Kellermann said: “In my opinion the council has spent an enormous amount of money with startling profligacy. Everything should be put to the public before any more money is spent. The overwhelming feedback from the public is they don’t want both options explored.”

Cllr Don Hammond said: “I’m in favour of this motion. We need to find the best option with people who know what they’re doing to help us. We won’t get to the answers of all those questions without a comprehensive study. The only way to make a decision on the two schemes is lots of hydrological studies, which cost a lot of money to do.”

Cllr John Chubb said: “We want a public amenity in perpetuity and want it to be financially sustainable. I support the proposal to spend money to explore both options. The briefings were well supported and publicised and there was a real appetite to investigate both options in the feedback.”

Cllr Matthew Bayliss said: “After the public consultation I would be calling for a referendum on the two options.”

Cllr Graham Hill said: “This is a complex long-term issue and our role is to listen to the public. We don’t want to get this decision wrong as it has very long-term consequences.

“We’re not making any decision on what option to choose. That will come much, much later. We have to gather information, share it with the public and take it step by step. Get it right at the beginning and it will be right at the end.

“The pond doesn’t belong to the town council, it belongs to the people of Alton. We have to follow the public otherwise all hell will break loose. Tell us what you want.”