Sunday 3 November 2013

Plain English

Earlier this year I called for a clearer commitment to using Plain English in council and official public notices.

Many of these notices are written in a way which is baffling, often leaving the public unclear as to the intention and purpose of the notices.

In August I said:
'I think people get really annoyed and frustrated by it.'
'They are often impenetrable and in antiquated language nobody uses.'
'We might as well be putting them out in Latin, for the good they are doing.'
'If we have to put these orders up, we should have an explanation in plain English. That could be done with very little effort or expense.'
'This is not a problem isolated to Leicester City Council – it affects all authorities – but it is something we can deal with easily.'
The Leicester Mercury covered this here: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Public-baffled-jargon-council-public-notices/story-19659063-detail/story.html  

The Mercury's Editorial also backed my call: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Mercury-opinion-Ban-jargon-public-documents/story-19667331-detail/story.html

All public bodies and legislatures should use Plain English including councils, public agencies, national parliaments and the European Parliament.