ARSON, vandalism and over-development were highlighted at a West Devon village meeting last week. Problems experienced in the village recently were voiced by some of those attending the Bere Alston Tenants and Residents? Association meeting ? there has been a spate of vandalism in the village which has caused serious damage. Resident Vic Gardner said: ?We have people moving out of the village because they no longer consider it fit to live in. It is utter madness. ?Bere Alston has been put upon and taken for granted too long. It is an absolute disgrace.? Mr Gardner, who has grandchildren growing up in Bere Alston, called for a moratorium on development in the village. He said: ?We want our village back. We want it to be a decent place to bring up our children, but we need the social infrastructure and it does not exist ? we have reached saturation point.? Bere Alston has been earmarked for extra housing in West Devon Borough Council?s new local plan, which covers development in the borough during the next ten years. The idea of building extra dwellings in the village sparked a concerted campaign in opposition but the borough?s local plan has now been adopted. Bere Ferrers parish councillor Philip Archer said in response to complaints over parking and congestion, his council had written to businesses in the village centre, asking them to encourage drivers to use other roads. ?We do know that some lorries are now avoiding Bedford Street, but we can only ask them and we have no powers,? said Cllr Archer. Andy Ames, tenant liaison officer with West Devon Homes, said his company worked closely with the borough council regarding the housing list. Mr Ames said: ?There are 1,500 people on the waiting list for housing and it?s done on a priority basis using a points system and those at the top of the list will get the property. We don?t vet families, that?s not what we are there to do, we are there to give people homes.? Mr Ames said West Devon Homes had received no reports of anti-social behaviour by its tenants ? the only problems the company had encountered regarded parking and one incident of vandalism against a garage door. He said West Devon Homes and the Community Safety Partnership were working hard with residents in Bere Alston ? a fear of crime conference was due to be held in the village shortly. Residents attending the meeting were told that PC Rick Hartigan, Bere Alston?s community policeman, had made the village a priority and an increased police presence had been noted recently. During the meeting it was announced that a new group would shortly be formed, following consultation with a variety of local organisations and groups. The Bere Law and Order Initiative would lobby for a resident policeman in Bere Alston and for special constables to be appointed to the village.