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STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
FOR USE OF NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OFFICERS ONLY
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SUBPOSTMASTERS
REPORT OF A
MEETING OF THE
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
held on
19 - 22 March 2006
at
THE GRIMSTOCK COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL
COLES HILL, WARWICKSHIRE
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&: National Federation of SubPostmasters Strictly Private & Confidential
Report of a Meeting of the
National Executive Council
held on Sunday, 19 March to Wednesday, 22 March 2006
at the Grimstock Country House Hotel, Warwickshire
Those present: Mrs Trish Jenkins National President and Chairman
Mrs Irene Bethell Mrs Kam Matharu
Mr Alan Butlin Mr David Milner
Mr Michael Darvill Mr John Morris
Mr John Peberdy
Mr Dave Foster (part) Mrs Sally Reeves
Mr Phil Howorth Mr Keith Richards
Mr Cyril Jones Mr Geoff Simpson
Mr Mervyn Jones (part) Mr George Thomson
In attendance: Mr Colin Baker General Secretary I
Ms Marilyn Stoddart Assistant General Secretary I
Mr John Willshaw Assistant General Secretary (part) I
Apologies: Mr Norman Ferguson
THE PRESIDENT welcomed everyone to the meeting.
— Irrelevant I
cutive Council Meeting 19-22 March 2006 ~ Page 2 of 20
© National Federation of SubPostmasters
Strictly Private & Confidential
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Al2
Al3
(a)
REPORTS AND RESOLUTIONS
The Minutes of the Executive Council meeting of 9, 10 and
11 January 2006 were signed as a true record.
@ The Resolutions passed at the Executive Council meeting of
9, 10 and 11 January 2006 were signed as a true record.
@ The Minutes of the Executive Council meeting of
13 February 2006 were signed as a true record.
@ The Minutes of the Special Executive Council meeting of
27 February 2006 were signed as a true record.
MATTERS ARISING
@ There were no matters arising.
REPORT OF THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE
Future of the Post Office PO PZ
DWP - Post Office Card Account PO PZ 01/PO PZ 06
@ Combined with Agenda Item 8(a) Campaign.
@ Adam Crozier and Barry Gardner had made mention of the
campaign in speaking to the Executive Council.
@ Became pretty certain during visit to Geoffrey Norris at
Number 10 Downing Street that the DWP had over-stepped
the mark.
DECISION
[DECISION]
peck i
o>
Executive Council Meeting 19-22 March 2006
Page Sof 20
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@ Had been left to a junior Minister who had made a mess of
the issue.
@ A\l Party Group had insisted that a copy of the contract be
placed in the House of Commons Library, hence the
Federation becoming aware of its content.
@ The General Secretary had called those who signed the
contract to book for signing away their business and making
Subpostmasters futures gloomy or even worse.
@ Advice from Adam Crozier to keep the campaign going.
Took a Iot of time, but worth the investment.
@ The campaign had to be driven from the centre to keep it
focussed.
@ = if the Government were given a chink of light they would get
off the hook.
@ Alan Johnson was a ‘friend’ of the Federation who had met
with the General Secretary and Mr Peberdy the previous
week.
@ He had been embarrassed by what the DWP had done as
the DTI did not know that they were going to take action
without a POCA replacement in place before the pilots.
@ Alan Johnson was meeting following day with John Hutton I
and it appeared that Government realised they needed to be I
joined up on both POCA and Post Offices.
@ They had the acceptance of the Social Network Payment
and had extended the ‘no avoidable closures’ policy until
there was a strategy in place for the size and shape of the
network, along with an exit method for Subpostmasters with
compensation.
@ There would be a tough battle for compensation but the
Federation would not discuss closures without an offer. i
@ Closures may need to be staged over a 5 year period rather i
than in one big hit.
@ = The Federation had done a very good job for its members.
@ The ongoing letter writing campaign had worked well, with
one excellent Westminster Hall debate already and a further
debate on 22 March. In a change of tactics, the letter with
attachments to John Hutton had been ‘leaked’ to strategic
MP's to inflame the situation.
@ Profile of the whole issue had been raised despite other
major national issues in Parliament.
Executive Council Meeting 49-22 March 2006 — ——— Page 4of20
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© National Federation of SubPostmasters Strictly Private & Confidential
the Executive Council: ‘We, the undersigned, believe that
the post office network provides a vital service to local
communities in both urban and rural areas which are
threatened by the Government's withdrawal of services from
local post offices. Accordingly we call on the Government to
reverse its announcement that it will end support for the Post
Office Card Account in 2010 thereby threatening the viability i
of thousands of post offices and we urge it to immediately 1
halt its activities designed to kill the account off in advance of
that date.’
@ Will be mailed to every Post Office for signatures to be
collected then sent back to Shoreham. Decision would then
be made as to how to use it, depending on whether the
number was over the 3 million reached for the last petition. ¢
@ Trying to get national newspaper behind petition, starting
with Mail on Sunday, and if not will try a different one.
@ Not necessarily to keep POCA but to keep negotiating, and
have commitment that the Federation will be involved.
@ Amended wording to be supplied to the Executive Council. CTION
@ Crucial that signatures were genuine and there was no
duplication or creative issues or credibility would be
I
® Petition proposed with the following wording as amended by ¢
I
I
damaged.
@ MR MILNER proposed that ‘the Federation go ahead with a
petition to send out to all members.’ This.was agreed. [DECISION
@ Originals to be sent to Shoreham, but members to be urged
to send a copy of their pages to their MP to keep the focus
locally too.
@ The National Treasurer was keen to continue with the
petition even if the Federation had to bear the cost as funds
were available. a
@ Communication via BSC’s to be improved to keep members \
informed of progress. (ACTION
@ Not possible to publish all progress as it could be seen as
‘gloating’ and could affect invitations to participate in the
creation of solutions.
‘Executive Council Meeting 79-22 March 2006 Page 50f20
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Executive Council Meeting. 19-22 March 2006
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‘Executive Council Meeting 49-22 March 2006 Page 7 of 20
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Executive Council Meeting 19-22 March 2006 Page 8 of 20
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> Council Meeting ; 19-22 March 2006
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a Bd
(I j
Executive Council Meeting 19-22 March 2006 Page 10 of 20
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‘Executive Council Meeting 79 - 22 March 2006 Page 11 of 20
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AI5(A) REPORT OF THE PU BLICITY & DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
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Executive Council Meeting 19 - 22 March 2006 Page 12 of 20
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Natione eration of SubPostmasters Strictly Private & Confidential
Irrelevant —
Executive Council Meeting : 49 - 22 March 2006 Page 13 of 20
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‘Executive Council Meeting 19 - 22 March 2006 Page 14 of 20
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I
(
7. Future Executive Council Meetings FM OG I
(a) Dates of Future Meetings FM OG O2 02 I
@ 19,20,21 June 2006
@ 2,3,4 October 2006
@ 8,9,10 January 2007 j
@ Allto be held at the Grimstock Country House Hotel. i
Irrelevant
Executive Council Meeting 19-22 March 2006 Page 15 of 20
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ive Council Meeting 49 - 22 March 2006 Page 16 of 20
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ecutive Council Meeting 49 - 22 March 2006 Page 17 of 20
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al Federation of SubPostmasters
Strictly Private & Confidential
A10(A) DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE
(A) FOR DISCUSSION
Post Office Ltd POPC
1. Network PC NW i
(a) POL/BA-Horizon Streamline Decommissioning PC NW 06 01
@ MS STODDART referred to an e’mail received from Post
Office Limited and stated that it was indicative of what was
happening in the business at the moment.
@ Streamline terminals are to be decommissioned from Post
Offices. The changeover from Streamline to Horizon will take
place on 24 March. i
tive Council Meeting 49 - 22 March 2006 ~ Page 18 of 20
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ion of SubPostmasters
(c) Horizon Service Improvements PC NW 06
@ Anupdate on service improvements had been circulated.
ron
®@ Concems were raised on how robust the Horizon system was.
@ MR MILNER proposed ‘that the issue of Horizon Service
Improvements be remitted to A3”. The proposal was carried. DECISION
Executive Council Meeting “49-22 March 2006 ~~ Page 19 of 20
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Al4 MATTERS RECEIVED TOO LATE FOR INCLUSION ON THE
AGENDA
@ None received.
AMS ANY OTHER BUSINESS
SHARON MERRYWEATHER
LYNDA WILLOUGHBY
March 2006
i
‘Executive Council Meeting 49 - 22 March 2006 ~~ Page 20 of 20
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CIRCULATION: NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL At FM OG 02 02
Please attach to the minutes of the Executive Council meeting held 19-22 March 2006.
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