Like the Yellow Pages advert, in days gone by central government procurement used to be there for the boring things of life. Despite the media excitement over revelations around Whitehall's revolving door of fortune, this story has an overlooked importance and impact at local level.

It is no wonder Lord Pickles was moved to quote PG Wodehouse in exclaiming his eyebrow had ‘moved a full quarter inch' on learning the news that Bill Crothers was able to moonlight for beleaguered factoring agency Greensill while his main job was chief commercial officer and founder of the Crown Commercial Service.