'DAMAGE limitation' is one of the buzz phrases of today and I bet it's a hot favourite with public relations bosses the world over.

We all know what it's about. An organisation or company makes a few mistakes or under performs and it's left to the corporate communications department to clear up the mess.

And to my mind that's exactly what happened the other week when London Underground chiefs found themselves faced with an awkward public meeting to discuss recent timetable cuts.

Off-peak Metropolitan Line services from Amersham, Chesham and Chalfont and Latimer were reduced in May by two trains an hour and some people voiced fears that the Chesham line was being wound down for closure. (These fears turned out to be unfounded.)

It wasn't good enough and a public meeting for passengers and local politicians to vent their frustrations and air their complaints was the only answer.

Plans were made for a meeting involving a collection of local authorities, rail users, community leaders and MPs.

At last people could find out what was going on straight from the horse's mouth. But it wasn't to be. London Underground got there first and called for a meeting with Chesham Town Council behind closed doors. No passengers, no MPs, no press.

Many Chesham town councillors told me they would have preferred a public meeting but they claimed LUL told them such a meeting would not be the best course of action.

I wonder why they thought that. It couldn't possibly be anything to do with the fact that public meetings often bring about angry scenes, direct questioning and the sort of accountability that's all too close for comfort for modern business practices.

After LUL's meeting with Chesham Town Council, a spokesman for LUL said the council had confirmed there was no longer a requirement for a public meeting. But when I spoke to Chesham town clerk Mike Kennedy he said no such confirmation had been officially given.

Having spoken to an LUL manager, I found out that a single council member had said after the meeting that he didn't think there was any need for such a meeting in the near future.

But come on LUL, that can't be taken as the official line of the full council.

This was supposed to be an exercise in straight forward public relations not damage limitation. There is a difference.