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Harrow Their meaning has become one of the most perplexing riddles of modern life, but soon “stakeholder engagements” and “multi-agency approaches” could be a thing of the past, in part of the country at least.
A council has banned seven of the most bewildering jargon phrases when speaking to members of the public. Civil enforcement officers, school crossing patrollers and civic amenity sites will become traffic wardens, lollipop ladies and rubbish tips, under new guidelines from Harrow Council. The list of banned phrases was drawn up after Harrow councillors asked a panel of local people about their experiences of dealing with council staff.
Councillor Paul Osborn said: “Our residents want to hear plain speaking and that is what we’ll deliver. Every organisation uses jargon to some degree, but councils have been among the worst offenders.”
The council has also promised to answer phone calls within 30 seconds, acknowledge e-mails within 24 hours and make sure visitors are seen within 15 minutes.
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I work in media training, advising people how to do interviews. A local council I worked for called their dinner ladies "meal operatives" while a pharmaceutical client insisted on referring to "local clinical management", ie visiting the doctor. I'll leave "loose stool urgency" to your imagination
Simon Brooke, London, UK
Harrow Council- the party of the first part hereby undertakes- subject topara9(ii)(b)of schedule 3 to to this undertaking to cease the usage, deployment or inclusion in any document by whomsoever issued- document as defined in schedule 47part3of this undertaking of any jargon or technical term
peter c, Devizes, Wessex
Oh! the end of the economic boom and the heralding of an era of commonsense.
Well the 1st part my be bad but hurrah for the 2nd.
Any hope it will spread...
Keith, Newcastle, England
Well done Harrow, lets hope it catches on!
Doesnt 'Civic Amenity Site' put one in mind of a community or leisure centre?
Bill Glanvill, Horsham, W Sussex