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DRAFT LETTER FOR THE SIGNATURE OF MR McCARTNEY TO
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Stuart Sweetman
Managing Director
Post Office Counters Limited
King Edward Building
King Edward Street
LONDON
SE1 9UA
Derek Hodgson
General Secretary
Communication Workers Union
The Broadway
Wimbledon
LONDON
SW19 IRX
Terry Deegan
General Secretary
Communication Manager's Association
CMA House
Ruscombe Business Park
Twyford
READING, Berkshire
RG10 9JD
Colin Baker
General Secretary
National Federation of Subpostmasters
Evelyn House
Windlesham Gardens
SHOREHAM BY SEA
West Sussex
BN43 5AZ
HORIZON WORKING GROUP
You will know that following the recent agreement in principle with ICL on
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completing project Horizon in a restructured and simplified form, the Secretary of
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State asked me to set up a small working group of key players to help ensure that the
project is now taken forward in a positive and decisive way to a successful conclusion.
I have decided to invite four organisations to be full members of the Horizon Working
Group, namely the Post Office, the Communication Workers Union, the
Communication Managers Association and the National Federation of Subpostmasters.
Clearly we shall need a dialogue with other organisations including ICL, the
Department of Health and Social Security, the Benefits Agency and the Treasury, but I
have not thought it appropriate to include these as full members. I understand that
David Sibbick, who will act as Secretary to the Group, has already advised you that I
propose to hold an initial meeting here at 10.30 tomorrow morning (8 June). It would
I see the work of the Group as falling into three main areas. First, there are the
negotiations between POCL and ICL, and between POCL and BA, that need to take
place over the next few weeks to put in place the detailed contractual arrangements
that will give effect to the outline agreement reached on 24 May. I see a role for the
Working Group in carefully monitoring these negotiations and in addressing and
helping to resolve any sticking points that may be encountered.
The second area covers the remaining development phases of Horizon, including large
scale live trials, system acceptance, and roll-out of the system smoothly and in a timely
fashion to all offices within the network followed by the migration from paper-based
methods of benefit payment to ACT-based payments accessible at post offices. I
believe that the Working Group could provide a valuable forum for bringing pressure
to bear where needed and for seeking solutions to any problems that may arise.
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The third area concerns the commercial exploitation of the very considerable potential
which the Horizon platform will offer once in place. The combined experience of the
Working Group should prove a valuable source of ideas and contacts for business
opportunities and future revenue streams.
I set out below suggested terms of reference for the Working Group intended to reflect
these ideas. I hope that at our meeting on Tuesday morning we will be able to agree
terms of reference on these lines, as well as an outline work programme and schedule
of future meetings.
After the prolonged delays and uncertainties surrounding the future of project Horizon
it is vitally important that the project is now taken forward with a high level of
commitment to its success from all the parties concerned. I hope that my Working
Group will be able to contribute positively to this and I look forward to working with
you.
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