POL00328743 - Audit of Post Office Fazakerly, Branch Code 214420

Evidence on official site

POL00328743

POL00328743

IN CONFIDENCE

To: From: ce:

Paul X Williams Tim Gordon- Lesley Frankland

Contracts Advisor I Pounder Fraud Team Manager
Field Advisor

Karen Walker
Area Sales Manager

David Patrick
Field Support Team Leader

Branchsupportteam!_

Date: 6" January
2012

Audit of Post Office®Fazakerley, Branch Code 214420.

Fazakerley is a busy branch in the suburbs of Liverpool. We have visited this
branch more than any other branch during the last few years and always find it to
be well run and welcoming.

On the 6" January 2012, accompanied by my colleague Richard Cross I
conducted an audit of the above named branch. Also present were Steve
Bradshaw & Kevin Ryan from the Security Team.

This was a special request audit by the Security Team and the purpose of this
audit was to verify financial assets due to the Post Office®.

The audit revealed a surplus in the branch of £559.07. A breakdown of the audit
result and details of the audit findings are as follows:

457.01 (+) Identified as a difference in cash figures
97.95 (+) Identified as a difference in stock figures
4.21 (+) Discrepancy as per office snapshot

£
£
£
£ 559.07 (+/-) Total Shortage/surplus (delete as appropriate)

I had contacted the Network Business Support Centre (NBSC) at approximately
08.30 am and advised that an audit would be performed at the branch, and that it
would remain closed until its conclusion. The nominated branches offered were:
Longmoor Lane & Walton Vale and a notice placed on display at the branch
detailing this information. I also asked the NBSC to notify the Outlet Intervention
Office that an audit was being performed and that the branch would remain
closed until it’s conclusion.

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We arrived at the branch at 08.15 am and introduced ourselves to a member of
staff on the shop counter, she referred us to the Post Office counter were a
member of staff was sat in the dark behind the counter. I knew this was one of the
members of staff I had previously met but she was not her normal welcoming self.
The other member of staff arrived at 08.45am and she was slightly upset. As I had
very little information of why we were completing an audit so soon after a similar
audit (performed 2"¢ December 2011) I told them that and advised that we were to
perform an audit on behalf of Post Office Ltd®. They told me they knew why the
audit was happening and that they were sorry for causing us problems and sorry
for misleading us at previous audits (there were tears). I asked them to open the
safes so we could complete the audit.

At around 09.15, Steve Bradshaw and Kevin Ryan from the security team arrived
to speak to the 2 staff members and we carried on with the audit.

At around 11am Steve Bradshaw asked us to check around the branch as the
staff had told him that they had concealed some Transcash paperwork (deposits
etc) in the cupboards. We spent about 10 minutes looking but couldn't find
anything. One of the staff members was lead through to the secure area and
immediately located the paperwork which she handed to Steve Bradshaw.

The staff agreed to leave with the Security Team and before they left they were
allowed to collect any personal items from behind the counter. Again they
apologised and said sorry for all they had done and that they felt terrible.

The SubPostmaster — Ali Asker was informed that the branch was closed and the
staff where no longer allowed behind the counter. We asked him to attend the
branch but he was in Sheffield and so he sent a member of staff from one of his
other branches (who was known to us as we had met her at a previous audit) to
secure the branch and take the keys from us.

I then telephoned yourself at 15.30 am to report a preliminary figure for the audit
and to confirm that the office was secure and that I would email the audit report to
confirm the final figure once I had completed it. This I did at 8" January 2012 at
20.30 PM to report an overall surplus in the branch of £559 07. Some of this
could be partly explained by a £200 ATM retract that hadn’t been enveloped and
kept separate as per ATM instructions.

I advised the person who picked up the keys to call the NBSC the next day to
confirm that the branch would be re-opening.

No Compliance Tests were carried out at this audit because there where no staff
left to test.

If you require any additional information, please contact me on the telephone
number below

Tim Gordon-Pounder
Lead Auditor

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