FIVE council houses have been installed with solar panels in a pilot scheme that could be rolled out across the city.

Oxford City Council said the panels provide free electricity for tenants and income for the council from any surplus power.

Board member for Cleaner Greener Oxford John Tanner said: “The scheme is win-win for all concerned.

“Tenants benefit from free electricity during the daytime and reduced overall energy bills.

“The council receives an income for producing the electricity and selling any surplus back to the grid through the Government’s feed-in tariff scheme.

“The solar panels help to reduce the carbon footprint of the city by generating clean, green power.”

The council has more than 7,500 properties and said tenants should use electrical items in the day to make best use of the panels.

Board member for housing Scott Seamons said: “It is great that these tenants can start to benefit from this fantastic project.

“It is going to help reduce fuel bills, which is an important issue we are facing with electricity costs on the rise.”