POL00091103 - Letter from Sue Muddeman to Alison Hall RE: Post Office Hightown branch
Evidence on official site
POL00091103
POL00091103
Post Office Ltd
Upper Floors, The Markets branch
6-16 New York Street
Miss Alison Hall
483 Halifax Road
Hightown
Liversedge
WF15 8HU
Strictly Confidential
15 October2010
Dear Miss Hall
Post Office® Hightown branch at 483 Halifax Road, Hightown,
Liversedge, WF15 8HU
I am writing following our meeting on 8 October 2010 in
which you put forward reasons why your Subpostmaster
Contract 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 full consideration I have decided to summarily
terminate your Subpostmaster Contract at the above Post
office branch with effect from the date of this letter on
the following grounds:
1. A loss revealed at the audit of £14023.37 which
after including the amount of £819.00 Transactional
Corrections was increased to £14842.37
This loss was discovered initially during the Horizon
migration support visit on 1 September 2010 and confirmed
during the subsequent audit on the 2 September 2010.
2. Failure to make good losses at the branch - during
our interview and previously to other team members
you admitted that you had not made good the losses
that occurred at the branch
and that you had been
3. Increasing the amounts of cash on hand during the
accounting procedures at the branch therefore
falsifying the accounts
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POL00091103
Page 2 of 4
Since the meeting I have talked in length to our team in
Chesterfield who deal with Lottery transactions It
would appear, and as discussed at the meeting, the number
of scratchcard errors was caused by client rem in being
made a day or so later than the activation. This
however does not create a financial concern as all rems
in that have been made mainly match up to the
activations.
You asked me about the stock loss figure that was
discovered at the branch on the day of the audit. The
stamps on hand were +£306.05 but the stock discrepancies
in mainly scratchcards (-£543) plus various philatelic
items gave a total figure of -£752.08.
These two added together gave the stock discrepancy at
the audit of £446.03.
Your Contract for services
Section 12 Paragraph 4
The Subpostmaster must ensure that accounts of all stock and
cash entrusted to him by Post Office Counters Ltd are kept in
the form prescribed by Post Office Counters Ltd. He must
immediately produce these accounts, and the whole of his sub-
office cash and stock for inspection whenever so requested by a
person duly authorised by the Regional General Manager.
Section 12 paragraph 12
The Subpostmaster is responsible for all losses caused through
his own negligence, carelessness or error, and also for losses
of all kinds caused by his Assistants. Deficiencies due to
such losses must be made good without delay.
You may, if you wish, appeal against this decision.
If it is your intention to appeal, you should notify me
by signing and returning to me by 1 November 2010 the
enclosed notice. The format of the appeal can either be
a personal interview or written submission. Should you
wish to progress an appeal, I will arrange for it to be
heard by a member of Post Office Ltd Appeals Authority.
Please note that if you decide not to appeal or if you appeal
and it is unsuccessful, Post Office Ltd will need to assess
what to do in respect of the vacancy that termination of your
contract has created. Post Office Ltd will conduct a review of
service provision in the area to ensure that Post Office®
services are provided by the most appropriate means available
to us.
POL00091103
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Page 3 of 4
The termination of your contract by Post Office Ltd is
without prejudice to any rights or claims Post Office Ltd
may have under the subpostmasters’ contract or in law.
You are still required to make good any outstanding
shortages, as well as any further deficiencies
highlighted by future enquiries which arose whilst you
were subpostmaster.
Please note also that as your contract has been summarily
terminated you will not be eligible to make an
application to the Discretionary Fund in the event that
the branch is closed or relocated.
Yours sincerely
Sue Muddeman
Agency Contract Manager
Post Office Ltd
POL00091103
POL00091103
Page 4 of 4
To: Sue Muddeman
Agents Contract Manager
From: Miss Alison Hall
Post Office® Hightown branch
I wish to appeal against Post Office Ltd’s decision to
summarily terminate my Subpostmaster Contract at the
above branch I and would like to do so in the form of a
personal interview* OR a written submission.*
*Delete whichever is not applicable
Signed:
Name of subpostmaster in
capitals:
Date:
Please note, if you wish to appeal, your reply must reach me by 1 November 2010. _ If
Ido not receive your reply by that date you will lose your right to appeal.