Banned Jargon List

Janine Baker made this Freedom of Information request to Local Government Association

The request was successful.

From: Janine Baker

23 March 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

On 18 March you published a list of 200 "banned words". Please can
you provide me with the following information under the Freedom of
Information Act:

1. What process did you go through to determine the list of words?
Please can you indicate which council leaders were involved in
drawing up the list.

2. Approximately how many people and person hours were spent in the
compilation of the list? If possible, please include an estimate of
the time spent by council leaders and other council staff
contributing potential words and reviewing the draft list. (If
possible, it would be useful to have a financial value on the cost
of producing the list.)

3. Please can you indicate whether any steps will be taken to
monitor whether councils continue to use the "banned words", and
whether there are any sanctions or measures which can be applied if
they do so.

Yours faithfully,

Janine Baker

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Local Government Association

25 March 2009

Hi Janine,

Further to your enquiry regarding the above, I have been advised the
following

1 - the process was discussions with national politicians from all
political parties, journalists from trade and national publications, the
Plain English Campaign and the LGA political groups. While no council
leaders were formally involved in the drawing up of the list, the LGA
political groups, which represent council leaders from all the political
parties agreed to the list of words and are in day-to-day contact with
councillors and councils.

2 - The list was compiled outside of work hours by members of the LGA
communication team who volunteered to look at devising the list. No
costs were involved. It is impossible for the LGA to determine the time
spent by council leaders or other council staff in this process.

3 - The LGA is a membership body and therefore has no enforcement powers
to prevent words being used. However, the LGA, along with the
Improvement and Development Agency work closely along side council
communication teams and councils to make sure that the language used to
explain to residents what services are available to them and what their
council tax pays for is both clear and concise.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Maypo

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From: Janine Baker

25 March 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Many thanks for your speedy and helpful response.

Yours sincerely,

Janine Baker

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