HAMPSHIRE County Council has decided to put on hold its programme to install solar panels on its buildings - now the government has slashed the feed-in tariff payments by half.

The cabinet agreed a recommendation to suspend the programme after earlier approving its original programme that would have seen panels, that generate electricity from sunlight, installed in the roof spaces of around 7,500 of its buildings at a cost of £2m.

Work was due to start on site in January to take advantage of the cash incentives offered through the government's feed-in tariff paid for every kilowatt generated by the panels which was guaranteed for 25 years at a set level.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.