NEARLY £1m will be spent on solar panels and LED lights in a bid to save electricity costs at Southampton City Council.

It comes as the authority is hoping to hit a net zero target by 2030. The investment is projected to save 95 tonnes of CO2 and £130,000 in energy costs a year.

Electricity costs have also soared - with a near doubling in the cost per unit since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The council says solar energy will help the authority move away from "volatile" and "increasing" energy costs.

The £950,000 investment is part of a programme making council properties more efficient and having them use greener forms of energy.

It does not include schools and leisure centres.

Some of the cash will be spent on hiring a senior energy officer.

Some £4,000 a year will be spent on solar panel maintenance.

At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Councillor Sarah Bogle, cabinet member for economic development said: “It’s a very positive thing – all part of our net zero agenda and absolutely the right thing to do.”

Projections show that with the energy savings, it will be a maximum of ten years before the new infrastructure starts paying for itself – and creating savings for the council.

The lifespan of the solar panels is said to be 25 years - and 22.5 years for the LED lights.

The cabinet had two other options it could have opted for instead of agreeing to the investment.

One of these was to do nothing. This was said to offer a "short term reduction in financial pressures" but "does not begin to address the continued vulnerability of the council to future energy price volatility and increases".

The other option was to carbon offset in order to meet its net zero targets – however, despite this helping towards the 2030 aim, it would come with no benefits in terms of energy savings.

Cabinet approved the investment.