Reform of the Government's scheme to reward the producers of renewable energy has been attacked by those very councils encouraged to explore such projects by ministers.

Energy minister, Greg Barker, ended months of uncertainty this week by confirming the feed-in tariff (FiT) – which will be paid directly to producers – would be slashed from 43p to 21p per kW hour. Brighton and Hove City Council leader, Cllr Bill Randall, described the move as ‘incredibly unhelpful', and warned it would ‘seriously damage' the business case of his authority's own solar programme to fit panels to public buildings and council homes.