There are still two options on the table for the future of Kings Pond in Alton.

Alton Town Council agreed to research the pros and cons of separating the pond from the River Wey alongside those of dredging the pond when it met at the Alton Assembly Rooms on January 8.

There was a healthy debate, with plenty of councillors and residents making the case for their preferred choice, but this pond-centred meeting was not as acrimonious as the one held at the Alton Maltings Centre two years ago.

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

Gareth Hurd, who said his work previously involved a year looking after Kings Pond, said: “It’s a complicated and challenging site. From a maintenance point of view we should pick the best, most financially and environmentally stable option.”