Wilson slams use of‘jargon’

Perth’s depute provost has launched an attack on Perth and Kinross Council’s use of jargon.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Willie Wilson (pictured) is unhappy with the language used in council papers and has launched an appeal to use plain English.

At a recent committee meeting, he said: “Should we not be more transparent so that an intelligent person walking off the street can understand it?

“I do think that summaries could be written in plain English.”

He later told the PA:“We live in an internet-driven world.

“I think that we should not forget that plain English may simplify something that is complex so that it is understood by everyone. “The council should take the lead in this.” He referred to the recent committee papers that he struggled with. He said: “The audit committee papers are stuffy and lengthy. They are not particularly good at focussing on the key issues. There is too much technical jargon.”

Councillor Wilson also criticised the use of Roman numerals.

He said:“When can we stop using Roman numerals and move into the 21st century?

“To see the likes of‘Point 2(1)(i)’on a committee paper is archaic. We should have all digits or‘Point 2(1a)’.”

At a planning and development management committee meeting last week, Mr Wilson asked for the removal of “rule of thumb”and that it be replaced by “guidelines”.

He said:“If we mean‘guideline’then we should say it. It needs to be more definite than just‘rule of thumb’.”

The depute provost was first elected to Perth and District Council in 1980 and will continue his campaign for plain English in PKC.