Payday loans should be less accessible to the public, says a leading councillor.

Deal town and district councillor Bob Frost has put forward a proposal to make it harder for people to gain access to payday loans via council computers and web pages.

He hopes that information about a default money-advice service will replace lenders’ pop-up advertisements.

Cllr Frost’s proposal will be discussed at a meeting of
the full district council tonight at 6pm.

He plans to recommend his campaign to Kent County Council (KCC), so that the county’s hands are also clean of encouraging people to take out loans they cannot afford to pay back.

Cllr Frost feels this is a step in the right direction, but opposes a blanket ban of payday loans – arguing that people would seek financial services overseas instead.

He said: “I want people not to be able to have easy access in this area.

“Everyone is talking about it and nobody is doing anything.

“We are not going to help people into a position of debt.”

This action could be underway within weeks.

The move is backed by Dover and Deal MP, Charlie Elphicke, who is also a strong believer that these pay day loans are in no way helpful to local people.

In November last year, Mr Elphicke wrote an article on payday lending for the Conservative Home website.

It reads: “Payday lending has flourished in recent years.

“As it has grown, so has scrutiny of the behaviour of payday lenders.

“There is a deep sense that the system just isn’t working, from extortionate interest rates to marketing loans to 13-year olds.

“Many claim that introducing any form of cap on rates will only harm borrowers.

“They say people will be driven into the arms of
loan sharks, or that payday lenders will simply raise
their rates up to the level
of the cap.

“However, this view is not borne out by the research.”