PHRASES such as "nitty gritty" have not been banned at Wyre Forest District Council, councillors have insisted, after a media frenzy over alleged outlawing of the "politically incorrect" terms.

National media - including The Sun, The Daily Telegraph and Channel 4 News - reported that consultants had banned or advised the banning of terms including "ship shape and Bristol fashion" at a council training course on diversity.

No ban was in place, a statement from the council said.

It explained: "Everyone is trusted to treat people equally and fairly without implementing a ban on phrases which may be thought to be politically incorrect."

Council leader, Stephen Clee, blamed the news report on comments made to the press by Health Concern member, Ken Stokes.

In a memo sent to all members of the authority, he wrote: "It is regretted that a member misinterpreted the training and I have spent the best part of Thursday repairing fences with our colleagues on various media channels in the Bristol area. I hope if any of you have contact with the media you can help to correct this misleading information."

Mr Stokes, however, said the media had got the story wrong. He said: "Nobody said anything about the word ban, nobody said anything about going to change the policy of the district council, they did say that these phrases were not acceptable in some areas and that is what I am adhering to."

He said he was "not happy about the way (Stephen Clee) has handled" the situation and vowed not to use the terms in the course of his council duties as they related to the slave trade.

He said: "I am going away from the course with the point of view that if any of the phrases are not acceptable to people who have this type of sensitivity then they shouldn't be used."

Mr Clee said advice was given during the training course to avoid using the phrases in "certain environments" which, to him, does not include the council chamber.

Eighty-five officers and councillors attended the two-day course, which cost £750, at Duke House in Kidderminster.