When two senior politicians started arguing in the upper echelons of County Hall this week, they were quick to spot one of my colleagues lurking further down the corridor.

Like any savvy politicos they moved away from the prying eyes of the Press during their heated debate, and scuttled around a corner to continue their shouting match.

But in County Hall the walls really do have ears. The spot they chose to give each other some choice words was on the other side of a closed office door of a council chief. In that office? Me, of course. Pen and pad in hand, noting it all down.