Council leader aims to ban jargon
Author: Daily Telegraph - Dec 29, 2008
David Lee, the leader of Wokingham borough council in Berkshire, is on a mission to stop the use of gobbledegook. He wants to rid councils of wordy and baffling language to make life simpler. He has come up with a list of words which he hates, including worklessness, network model and paradigm. Councillor Lee said "It's going to take a while to get rid of this type of rubbish but I'm on the case and our council has already made a step in the right direction by simplifying the reports which are written for the executive's consideration." He wants residents to alert him if they get "anything incomprehensible from the council in the future". He added "Plain English should be the law in all walks of life. Too often people talk in acronyms and complicated language just to add an air of secrecy to what they do in a bid to make people like me go away and not bother them."
Related Pages
'One-in, one-out' rule aims to slash red tape
Urban parish council goes to the vote
Councils to pilot universal credit
Breathing new life into regeneration
by Alex Thomson, The MJ
Let the local authority clamour for more devolved power begin
by Steven Howell (in the Guardian, Public Leaders Network)
Local regeneration is about economic and social wellbeing
by Alex Thomson (in the Guardian, Local Government Network)
England's new mayors prove a force for good
by Alex Thomson (in The MJ)
Crossing the border
Posted in Structures, Collaborations and Working Across Borders
What can elected mayors do for our cities?
Posted in Local Government Management and Organisation
Credit Where Credit's Due
Posted in Local Government Finance
A New Era for Council Housing?
Posted in Planning, Housing and Economic Development
Pensions: Infrastructure Investment Conference
[Jun 26, 2012]
Report Launch: Grow Your Own Way
[May 23, 2012]
Report Launch: Credit Where Credit's Due
[Mar 5, 2012]
Blue Labour and the Politics of Place
[Feb 9, 2012]
- "Localis is fast gaining a reputation for pre-empting the localist agenda, producing thought provoking research and practical policy ideas"Anthony Seldon, author and political commentator
- "Localis’ commitment to decentralisation crosses party boundaries, and their research illuminates policy problems with new practical thinking"Prof George Jones, LSE
- "Localis offers a great blend of a passion for innovation, grounded practical ideas and unswerving belief in the possibilities of local governance"Derek Myers, Chief Executive, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea


