Payday loan websites are set to be blocked on more than 13,000 Caerphilly County Borough Council computers.
Councillors are set to consider a motion, originally proposed by Plaid Cymru, at Tuesday’s meeting of full council after it was passed last week by the Council’s Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee.
If given approval, the ban would restrict access to payday loans websites on computers in council offices, libraries and community centres.
The council also plans to lobby the Welsh Government to legislate for all local authorities to ban access to payday loan websites, and call for a cap on chargeable loan rates.
The original motion was slightly amended but Councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said that he was happy to take suggested changes on board.
Plaid Cymru first made the call for action to prevent access to payday loan companies in the summer.
Cllr Mann said: “This is a great opportunity for this council to send a message to payday loan companies.
“This is not a party political issue and I’m sure that every councillor can get behind the sentiments of the motion which would prevent access to payday loan companies websites from office computers and at facilities such as libraries and community centres. I hope other public bodies will follow suit in restricting access to these websites.
“If the motion is passed the council can then lobby both the Welsh Government and Westminster to legislate for all local authorities to ban access to payday loans sites and to call for a cap on chargeable loan rates.”
Cllr Hefin David, Chair of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Scrutiny Committee, said: “We want to encourage responsible lending to our residents. By blocking access to these websites we can help protect our residents by limiting the number of people who are tempted to turn to these types of lenders and hopefully encourage them to use more sustainable finance options.
“We hope other public sector bodies follow suit and implement similar blocks on access and help strengthen the effect of the ban here in Caerphilly County Borough.”
About time this was introduced, although it's s bit ironic that the advert adjecent to this article on banning payday loans is an advert for a loan company with 1734% APR !!!!
Shouldn't porn sites be blocked? And high caloric soft drink websites? Oh, and bitcoin, alcohol,lying politicians…
A great idea as long as they keep the list of blocked sites up to date – otherwise its a pointless exercise.
Jer-Trihouse – I think if you pop into your local library you'll find that porn sites are already blocked.