Confusing council jargon compared to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four

9:20am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

HEREFORDSHIRE Council has been told to mind its language after jargon-filled committee papers were branded unreadable.

The local authority’s phrasing in agenda booklets has been compared to those in the George Orwell novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Matters came to a head during a cabinet review of the council’s customer services network which included phrases such as “dynamic customer contact“ and “multi-layered network”.

Proposed changes included the “consolidation of existing customer strategy aims” and “dynamic customer contact within each of the localities”.

Leading opposition member Councillor Alan Seldon, who is chairman of overview and scrutiny committee, said the wording reminded him of Orwell’s classic which features a world under the control of an inner party elite that persecutes independent thinking.

“I’ve read through this report and parts of it are in a language all of its own,” said Coun Seldon.

“I am sure George Orwell would have been proud. I think of Nineteen Eighty-Four and that is what I see here.

“We need to be more blunt about the position we are in, not shrouding things in jargon.

“There is far too much in here that means absolutely nothing,” he said.

"Let’s ditch all this gumpf. What needs to change is the language in these reports as I’m not clear what half of this means. Everyone needs to understand it, not just the officers.”

Lib Dem leader councillor Terry James went further saying the confusing language was apparent across the whole agenda, including a review into older people in Herefordshire.

“There is going to be a reduction in the service," he said.

"Don’t dress it up."

Comments(14)

silentbull says...
10:14am Wed 24 Oct 12

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!! (again)

I can see the headlines now in the HT
'Local council talking complete bull'
You couldn't make this up.

The council can though....,apparentl
y!!

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littlewhitebull says...
10:50am Wed 24 Oct 12

If you read some reports on the HCC website, on even quite simple issues, you can be totally confused. It is much easier for the writer and reader, if texts are kept simple and concise.
The Plain English campaign published a recent example of a council's overactive thinking which caused total confusion. The council's statement read: "High-quality learning environments are a necessary precondition for facilitation and enhancement of the ongoing learning process."
In plain English, the statement meant:
"Children need good schools if they are to learn properly."

We don't need redaction, secrecy, or jargon. Please keep things simple and life will be easier for all concerned.

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Candi Date says...
11:13am Wed 24 Oct 12

The Assistant Director for Customer Services and Communications would have produced the report. Part of his job is to manager the PR and promote understanding of the Councils vision and goals. Why the Council appointed someone with no experience in the role is mysterious. The fact that no one trusts the Council is due in great part to this.

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Candi Date says...
11:13am Wed 24 Oct 12

The Assistant Director for Customer Services and Communications would have produced the report. Part of his job is to manager the PR and promote understanding of the Councils vision and goals. Why the Council appointed someone with no experience in the role is mysterious. The fact that no one trusts the Council is due in great part to this.

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Roger J says...
11:39am Wed 24 Oct 12

Shouldn't really expect much else from this shower should we ?

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Lukio says...
12:01pm Wed 24 Oct 12

They say 'bulls**t baffles brains' but it seems that on this occasion, HC have been taken to task for their inconceivable waffle. It's about time they realised that we're wising up to their clandestine ways and no amount of secret meetings, information blackouts and mincing words will make us any less suspicious.

The people of this county are not fools and deserve a much better service than they're currently getting. With all that's been going on lately, it really does feel like HC are losing their grip on reality and the ****-ups and crazy decisons they're making are getting more and more prevalent.

The world under inner party elite rule discouraging independent thinking feels like a perfect way to sum up this lot.

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Candi Date says...
12:33pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Never in the field of Herefordshire Council has so much been cocked up for so many by so few.

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Themightyboosh says...
12:48pm Wed 24 Oct 12

"dynamic customer contact"
actually translates as
"punching your clients"

honestly

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bobby47 says...
1:31pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Thanks Mightyboosh. Good grief. I never realised. I didn't see this coming. These Council people intend to bring harm and injury to us. If the Mightyboosh is correct and we've no sane reason to think him wrong, the Council intend to punch us when we go into their office and collect our green plastic sacks.
Im for taking action on this one. Next time I go in and pay for a dozen refuse sacks Im going to get one in first and punch them on the nose.
Ill be damned if they think they can punch me in the face and get away with it.

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Ubique5740 says...
3:37pm Wed 24 Oct 12

Now we know why the Cllr was pointing at the bull on the new signs welcoming visitors to the county. He was waiting for more b...s...
I understand from another unreliable source that graffiti artists will soon be touching up theses signs now that the truth is out about HC speak.

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bobby47 says...
5:07pm Wed 24 Oct 12

I'm normally shoulder to shoulder with Ubique but I'll not stand with him on this issue'
As far as I'm concerned 'unreliable sources' are just as bad as embellishers and if theres one thing I hate its an embellisher.
Secondly, I know why Councillor Jarvis was pointing at the picture of the Hereford Bull. He wants us to cozy up to it and I'll say it again, I'll be damned if I'm going to grant him his wish. Never!
I sometimes think I'm the only one out there that knows whats going on, This Council mean to cause us harm and I aint putting up with it. They've got plans for us but they dont pull the Balaclava over my attentive eyes. I am onto them.

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nickt2635 says...
8:31pm Wed 24 Oct 12

If we can't understand them, we can't accuse them of lying!!! There's method in their madness!!! Except there isn't....because we all know that every time they open their mouths nowadays bull**** comes out, whether or not we understand it!

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Ubique5740 says...
7:45am Thu 25 Oct 12

Bobby47, I know that us Posters must stick together, I also know that sometimes we will disagree on some subjects! I will not use my unreliable source again.
Hopefully we will resume the position of standing together shoulder to shoulder. ( except when you go fishing)

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Lord Smythe says...
9:21am Thu 25 Oct 12

Ah...Fishing....Dyna
mic nature contact. I'll join you in a spot of that bobby47!

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