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CIRCULATION: NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE
CB/SM PC NW 06 01
18 November 2004
eneral Secretary: COUN BAKER
CIRCULATION: NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE Senor Assets Goran Seerwary
Keen Davis
Assistant General Secretary
Maaityn StOODART
Dear Colleague
Debt Recovery - Horizon
Further to earlier correspondence please see the attached received today.
Could I have any comments you would like to make as soon as possible.
Meu TACO AD nena
GRO
Colin Baker
General Secretary
Enc.
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Ref.: CACM /Debt Recovery
Version: Version 1.1
In Confidence Date: 18 November 2004
Document Title: Debt recovery —Horizon retated errors.
Document Type: Electronic (MS Word)
Release Version 1.1
Abstract: Debt recovery —Agent’s debt for Horizon related errors.
Document Status: Draft
Authors: Jennifer Robson
Contributors:
Reviewed By: Martin Ferlinc, Carol King Geoff
May, John Dutton, Paul
Patterson, John Breeden, John
Legg, Alison Bolsover, Victoria
Noble, Hector Campbell, Andy
Terret, Tony Utting
Comments To: Jennifer Robson, Debt recovery manager,
Client Accounting and Cash Management,
Comments By: Preferably In advance of our POL/NFSP liaison meeting on 10"
December 04
Distribution: Colin Baker, General Secretary
National Federation of Sub
Postmasters
Client Accounting and Cash
Management
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Ref.; CACM /Debt Recovery
Version: Version 1.1
In Confidence Date: 18 November 2004
1. PURPOSE/SUMMARY
This document has been prepared to propose changes to the debt
recovery process in CACM for issued error notices.
The current process has been in operation now for 1 year and has
generally settled down into business as usual.
In summary we intend to:
« Take out one of the two telephone reminders
e Rationalise the concurrence process
2. OBJECTIVE
The objective of our debt recovery process is to achieve a 100%
success rate in proven charge errors brought to account and made
good. The only exceptions will be where there has been a dispute that
on investigation has been upheld or, as referenced in the Liability for
losses policy, agreement has been given by the retail line
representative to write off the loss to their profit and loss account.
The objectives of this new proposal are to improve the timescales for
recovery of monies and support our drive to clear cases outstanding as
we move into IMPACT S80 planned for summer 2005,and reduce the
time spent in the Retail line on concurrences..
3. THE PROCESS
The diagram at Appendix A illustrates the debt recovery process for
Horizon related errors as it is now
The diagram at Appendix B shows the changes we intend to deploy -
the shaded boxes illustrate key changes. The process description for
the revised process is as follows:
3.1.Box 1 -5. The process commences when following an analysis and
investigation of the streams of transaction data received in CACM an
error at the branch is identified.The error notice advises the
subpostmaster of the results of the balance for the week in question in
addition to the amount of the discrepancy to which the error notice
relates. The debt recovery team (Agent’s debt team 2) will despatch
the error notice and the evidence to the branch after entering the
relevant information on to the error notice database. For the branches
managed as multiples a report is prepared for the appropriate nominee
of those error notices despatched to his /her branches.
The approach covers both claims (amounts due to subpostmaster) and
charges (amounts due from subpostmaster) However claims are not
pursued beyond reminder.
3.2. Boxes 6 through to 18 cover the process where the sub
postmaster may query or dispute the error. The error notice displays a
Client Accounting and Cash
Management
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Ref.: CACM /Debt Recovery
Versi ‘ersion 1.1
In Confidence ____ Date: 18 November 2004
phone number for disputes and queries, for example if a postmaster
wishes to clarify the explanation on the error notice or would like to
obtain more information.
If appropriate the subpostmaster will be asked to support the claim with
evidence that the error notice should be cancelled.
There are 2 potential outcomes from this.
) lf the query is resolved or the dispute upheld the case is closed
(boxes 11 and 13) and the subpostmaster is advised.
i1}) lf the error notice is upheld and the subpostmaster does not
bring it to account the case is referred to the reminder team
after the error notice has been confirmed as valid (box 19.) ~
see inset box also on the process map.
3.3, Boxes 19 -29 cover the process for the telephone reminder to the
sub postmaster asking him to bring the error notice to account (both
charges and claims). There is an acknowledgement here also that the
subpostmaster may wish to query or dispute the error notice. Again the
outcome will be either that the dispute is upheld or the case is referred
for recovery.The lower level detail of this process covers for
eventualities where the postmaster is unavailable for whatever reason.
In those instances a further “ first reminder” call wil! be made.
N.B. For the national multiples the contact will be as now via the
agreed nominee for the branch.
3.4. Boxes 30—36. This part of the process covers the concurrence
process, where appropriate, to deduct amounts that have not been
brought to account from remuneration or for the hardship process to
be invoked.
3.5 Boxes 37 -44. Once action has been agreed the amounts are
recovered and the accounting completed.
N.B. Boxes 32&33 Concurrence requirements. As now the
concurrence requirements are all cases for rural and multiples and
>£300 for urban. However to minimise the impact in the retail line and
speed up this part of the process we are introducing a “silence is
assent” process. So, if Debt Recovery has not received a response to
the concurrence request within 7 days the deduction from
remuneration will go ahead. If an out of office indicator is flagged then
Debt Recovery will approach the person named as cover for the RLM.
4. TIMELINE
The arrows at the top of the process map indicate approximate
timescales.
Client Accounting and Cash
Management
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In Confidence
Ref.: CACM /Debt Recovery
Version: Version 1.1
Date: 18 November 2004
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