The important matter of Monitor’s 2013-14 report and accounts was on the agenda at the regulator’s latest board meeting.

It won’t be published until July. But it’s not surprising that the wheels have to be set in motion early when its proposed length is 86 pages.

We’ll be honest - End Game’s heart sunk at the thought of having to trawl through that during our summer hols.

What we didn’t expect was that Monitor’s own board would share our sentiments.

“The only comment that I have is that it is enormously long – do we really need 86 pages?” said chair Baroness Hanham.

A number of board members agreed, complaining there was usually too much “boilerplate” information.

But it was non-exec Stephen Thornton who recommended the most radical edit.

“There’s 30 pages of what I’d call substance, and 50 pages of other stuff – guff”.

“Legal requirements”, someone else sighed, unhappily.

For the sake of our summer beach reading, we hope Mr Thornton wins the good fight.