DRASTIC action needs to be taken if this area is to both meet its recycling targets and avoid punitive fines and council tax hikes imposed via EU legislation.

The three local authorities in the Andover Advertiser circulation area have some of the lowest recycling rates in the region and are under pressure from their respective county councils to do something about it.

Unless councils meet the EU target the waste disposal authorities face a fine of £150 for every ton over the limit sent to a landfill site - and that could add £3 million to the council tax bill in Wiltshire alone.

Kennet District Council is the first local council in this area to bite the bullet deciding to end weekly collections of rubbish from most homes in the district.

Instead, homes in Tidworth, Ludgershall and the Collingbournes will have a fortnightly, alternate collection of rubbish and recyclables and, breaking with its policy of decades, the council will bring in wheelie bins.

At a village forum in Ludgershall, Kennet's works manager, Adrian Hampton, said: "Under present arrangements we will hit a target of 23 per cent but that will still mean over 75 per cent goes to landfill.

"We need to go one step further and this will mean wheelie bins.

For the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser