THE provision of a youth club is one idea being put forward by Chiddingfold Parish Council to address the problem of drug and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in the village.
The suggestion came when the parish council was asked to contribute to a Waverley initiative into drug and alcohol misuse and related criminal activity in villages across the borough.
Waverley sent questionnaires to parish councils across the borough requesting information on the negative effects locally of substance misuse as well as ideas to remedy the situation.
Chiddingfold residents have complained about the rise in vandalism and the local churchyard being used as a meeting place for drug taking.
"As a parish council we are trying to be a lot more pro-active and looking into leisure facilities. We are trying to get a youth club back which will hopefully have a positive effect," said parish council chairman Graham Ball.
"It's always just a couple of individuals who do this sort of thing.The churchyard is enormous, so it has become to an easy place for people to hide in and get up to no good, as has the sports pavilion - but we can't really police the place ourselves."
Mr Ball believes that a lack of police presence has contributed to the problems. "Nowadays local police have to cover such a large area and have to be in squad cars, so there is never anyone walking the beat.
"I remember when there was a policeman assigned to the village and there was far less of a problem with crime. Now the police are designed to deal with major crime and they don't have the manpower to deal with the kind of incidents which are perceived as 'minor crime'."
He added: "However picturesque a village looks, it will always have these kinds of problems. Nowadays the young people don't perceive there to be any authority in the village and don't feel they are answerable to anyone."
The parish council will send the feedback to Waverley's community safety executive Mike Ward when all views and suggestions have been collected.