Telford & Wrekin libraries block payday loan sites
Payday loan websites such as Wonga are being blocked on computers in libraries in Telford & Wrekin, it was revealed today.
Council officials have blocked 66 such websites so far and are in the process of preventing access to more as other sites are identified.
They have blocked the sites from computers that are available for ue by the public. Telford & Wrekin Council runs nine libraries in Telford town centre, Wellington, Newport, Madeley, Stirchley, Oakengates, Donnington, Hadley and Dawley.
The decision to block the websites come as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced the expansion of credit unions, declaring that he wanted to compete such firms "out of existence".
Councillor Hilda Rhodes, cabinet member for libraries, said: "Payday loans companies charge unbelievably high rates of interest to those who can least afford to pay it. By blocking access to these sites from council computers we hope that residents in Telford and Wrekin will not be tempted to take out these loans.
"Our libraries' website and other services can offer advice on where to go for help if someone finds themselves in financial difficulty."
Telford and Wrekin Council is the latest authority to block payday loan sites.
Sandwell Council in the Black Country announced earlier this week it has blocked the websites of 260 payday loan firms.
But Shropshire Council bosses said today they have "no plans in place at present" to introduce a similar system at its libraries.
Callum McLagan, a spokesman for Shropshire Council, said the authority does have other policies in place to discourage residents from taking out high-interest loans.
Wonga offers short-term payday loans. But it is accused of imposing interest rates of up to 5,000 per cent APR to those who do not pay up in time. Meanwhile another firm, Quick Quid, puts 1,734 per cent APR on its short-term loan deals.
