WHEELIE bins are expected to be given to thousands of homes in the Kennet District for the first time to help meet the council's statutory obligation to recycle more waste.

The council, along with Salisbury District, is one of the few remaining which has opposed the use of the bins.

The move is the first time the council has conceded the principle that wheelie bins are necessary for domestic properties.

Kennet chief executive Mark Boden has recommended that the council agree to spend £110,000 to buy 10,000 bins to be used for kerbside paper collection in the Marlborough and Devizes area.

There are no details of when such bins will be extended to Tidworth and Ludgershall.

A further £280,000 is needed to buy two special 17.5 ton vehicles for the paper collection.

In 2003-04 there are additional proposals to spend a further £60,000 for 5,000 bins to collect green waste.

There are no plans to purchase bins for general domestic waste so the plastic bags will continue for the time being.

"These proposals will extend what is already happening with the kerbside paper collection and was agreed as part of our recycling strategy - we have to do it," said a district council spokeswoman.

The proposals, contained in the council's service development plans, are expected to be confirmed by the community development policy committee on Tuesday.