The Local Government Association triggered a story with a press release beginning like this:
"Council leaders have today published a list of 200 words that public bodies should not use if they want to communicate effectively with local people."
and continuing in this vein - "words and phrases that all public sector bodies should avoid".
But this sensible, if relatively meek, measure has been beefed up by journalists with a fondness for a story about titanic power-struggles between huge public bodies. The BBC proclaims "Councils get banned jargon list" and proclaims "COUNCIL JARGON BAN" on its front page, while The Telegraph fails in both spirit and accuracy with "Perplexing council speak such as 'rebaselining' banned in LGA guide" (it's even described in the same sentence as just a guide!). The Aberdeen Press and Journal rather floridly calls it "a hate list". Even Computer Weekly falls for the line with "Council leaders ban business jargon".
It's perfectly possible to report accurately - like the Guardian, ITV News or even, Heaven help us, The Sun (description of an LGA "crackdown" notwithstanding), which makes the BBC's and the Telegraph's overegging of the pudding that bit more disappointing. It's not as if the LGA - which has no power to "ban" councils from doing anything - even sexed up its own press release to get attention.
It's small fry, and not the most exciting story in the world, but the principle is an important one. The media blame the politicians for widespread disengagement with public life - but who's misrepresenting the way things work here?
