PERSONAL AND IN CONFIDENCE
Mr Lee Castleton
Post Office® Marine Drive branch
14 South Marine Drive
Bridlington
YO15 3DB
26.04.04
Dear Mr Castleton
Re: SUSPENSION OF CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
I wrote to you on 23 March 2004 confirming the suspension of your
contract for services as subpostmaster of Post Office® Marine Drive
Branch.
I am now considering the summary termination of your contract for
services on the grounds that the audit at your office on 23 March 2004
resulted in a total shortage of £25,758.75. You had reported to me large,
unexplained losses over the preceding period of 12 weeks. You were
unable to make good the losses and therefore the decision was made to
suspend you from your contract for services due to the obvious risk to
Post Office Ltd funds. There are a number of obligations set out within
the Subpostmasters contract for services, one of which being retention of
the appointment is dependant on the branch being well managed and the
work performed properly to the satisfaction of Post Office Ltd, the
Subpostmasters contract section 1, paragraph 5 and section 12,
paragraph 12 refers. This is in accordance with Section 1, paragraph 10,
of your Contract For Services, which provides that the Agreement may be
determined at any time in case of breach of conditions by you, or non-
performance of your obligations or non-provision of Post Office services.
I would now like to give you the opportunity to put forward any reasons
why I should not pursue this course of action. You can do this by
requesting a personal interview or submitting a response to the charge(s).
In either case you should inform me of your intentions, in writing by 5 May
2004.
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Re: SUSPENSION OF CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
I have provisionally set aside the morning of Monday 10 May 2004, at the
Area Managers Office in Darlington, should you choose a personal
interview. If this date is inconvenient we will of course re-arrange.
Should you choose a personal interview, you may be accompanied at the
interview by a friend, who must be a fellow subpostmaster, or a registered
Sub Office Assistant or a Consignia employee or an official/
representative of the National Federation of Subpostmasters. You also
have the right to request and receive all information relating to the
aforementioned charge.
Yours sincerely
Cath Oglesby
Retail Line Manager
Post Office Ltd
Operations
Darlington Area Office
Crown Street
Darlington DL1 1AN
To: Cath Oglesby
Retail Line Manager
*l wish to attend for interview
*L wish to submit written representation
* Delete as appropriate
Signed:
Date:
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Re: SUSPENSION OF CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
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PERSONAL AND IN CONFIDENCE
Mr Lee Castleton
Post Office® Marine Drive branch
14 South Marine Drive
Bridlington YO15 3DB
17.05.04
Dear Lee
tam writing following our meeting on Monday 10 May 2004, in which you
put forward reasons why your contract for services should not be
summarily terminated.
I have reviewed the papers relating to this case very carefully and have
taken into account the points you have put forward.
After consideration I have decided to summarily terminate your contract for
services as Subpostmaster of Post Office® Marine Drive branch from the
date of your suspension, 23 March 2004, on the grounds that you have
had several large unexplained losses at your office totalling £25,758.75.
You were unable to make the losses good, which is in breach of your
Contract For Services. There are a number of obligations set out within the
Subpostmasters contract for services, one of which is that the branch is
well managed and the work performed to the satisfaction of Post Office
Ltd. I do not feel that you have achieved your obligations.
Please refer to your contract for services section 1, paragraphs 5 and 10
and section 12, paragraph 12.
You may, if you wish, appeal against my decision. If it is your intention to
appeal, you should notify me, in writing by 31 May 2004. The format of the
appeal can either be a personal interview or written submission. Should
you wish to progress this avenue, I will arrange for the appeal to be heard
by a member of Post Office Ltd Appeals Authority.
Post Office Lid
Darlington Area Office
Crown Street
Darlington
DL1 1AN
0845 6011022
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Please sign and return one copy of this letter immediately in the envelope
provided. A second copy is enclosed for your retention.
Yours sincerely
Cath Oglesby
Retail Line Manager
os
To: Cath Oglesby
Retail Line Manager
I have noted the content of this letter.
lf I decide to appeal against your decision, I will let you know separately.
Signed:
Date:
PERSONAL AND IN CONFIDENCE
Mr Lee Castleton
Post Office® Marine Drive branch
14 South Marine Drive
Bridlington
YO15 3DB
LCAS0000786
LCAS0000786
LC0428.0005