AN innovative scheme to fit solar panels across hundreds of council houses will slash fuel bills for tenants across North Ayrshire.

The Council’s Cabinet last week approved proposals to seek tenant volunteers to install the panels on 500 Council homes.

Participation on the scheme will be voluntary and tenants who sign up will have their contribution collected through an addition to their regular rent payment to the Council.

Detailed analysis show that over a 20-year period there will be a combined saving of £1 million - which equates to around £96 per household per year who sign up. As well as the financial savings, it is anticipated that the scheme will save around 500 tonnes of carbon every year.

The formal tenant engagement process will now begin and the Council is confident that the scheme will prove popular.

Councillor Jim Montgomerie, Cabinet Member for Place, said: “Far too many people across North Ayrshire are spending too big a percentage of their income on their fuel bills.

“We want to make warmth affordable for our tenants and this scheme will help us achieve that.

“ Even in the first year we anticipate that each tenant will save approximately £40 on their energy bills rising to £175 by year twenty.

“We’re delighted to be moving forward with the project.”