Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has moved to control the use of certain phrases at the Dunedin City Council table.
Mr Cull said he may even consider using standing orders to outlaw the phrase "going forward", which is ending many sentences uttered by both councillors and staff.
Use of the phrase has recently been increasing at the local authority.
At a full meeting of the council last week, the Otago Daily Times heard it used on four occasions.
Challenged by the newspaper late last week, Mr Cull said he accepted the phrase had no place at the council table.
"We are having a review of standing orders," Mr Cull said.
"We could undertake something in there to discipline councillors."
Asked what actions could be undertaken, governance manager Sandy Graham said the worst punishment was loss of a committee chair, which affected a councillor's pay.
Councillors who did not head committees could be banned from attending for a period, but the punishments were not harsh, Ms Graham said.
"Going forward, there's very little you can do."
