POST OFFICE
Relationship Manager
Post office Ltd
Second Floor West
1 Future Walk
Chesterfield
S49 1PF Post & Email _
agents.accounting.team@
URGENT
Fad Code: 416611 12" Feb 2017
Dear Sirs
Re: Horizon Issues at above office
lam writing to express my serious concerns. This is not new information for the post
office. I have been in regular contact with various people over many months, anyone
who would listen in fact.
When the previous manager Mark Morgan (formerly recommended by the Post
Office) left my employ in Aug 2015 there was a deficit of over £50 due to an issue
with scratch cards. I absorbed the loss. I had requested the audit by contacting
someone I knew in the Post Office and as a favour they arranged for the sub
postmaster of Aberdare PO to do it for me.
Losses continued and when the then replacement manager Phil Jones formerly SPM at
Pontygwaith PO, left aprox 7 months later, there was a deficit of over £500. At that
time I again called on someone I knew — your own trainer auditer who’s name is Paul,
(last name I believe is Jones) I again made up the loss.
There was a further incident where a loss showed on Horizon. This time it was easy to
identify as it occurred in ‘real time’ and it was obvious to the counter staff concerned,
it was to do with Moneygram where the transaction had been reversed but refused to
show up on Horizon.. Helpline was told but did nothing, at one point suggesting I
contact Moneygram to ask for the money back?
It was only after this did I contact the then Field Change Manager Gareth saying I was
completely lost and needed help. At that point he put me in touch with a person called
Judy Balderson. She was absolutely wonderful, identified the problem and said it was
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a systems error re Moneygram, said not to worry she would credit the office. The
problem was however there were further losses over that period, the cause of which
wasn’t readily identifiable. Judy said they were able to do some back office
investigating and she would come back to me. I waited and heard nothing. I tried to
make contact after several months as the account still showed a deficit. I was told at
that stage Judy had left the Post Office.
Other anomalies continued to occur. I once again had no option other than to give the
PO the benefit of the doubt and agree a repayment programme which is currently on
going. I was however approaching the ‘end of my tether’, this time putting rigorous
and daily checks and balances in place including two staff at any given time to
supervise one another. The cost of this was astronomical.
November, matters were coming to a head. I had called the Helpline asking for
assistance. I was refused point blank. The reason given was that there were no
resources available for training, auditing or investigation. I remember hanging up in
sheer frustration.
By the end of November I was still suffering sustained losses. I contacted the Fiend
change manager Gareth asking for help. This was the only point of contact I had. I
explained I was at the point of closing the office. I stressed there was something very
wrong somewhere which could not be accounted for by staff mistakes or theft. I told
him I felt unsupported and all the PO could be assured of doing was demanding
money when there was a deficit.
I told him I had called Helpdesk and been refused any assistance saying that they had
no resources available for monitoring, training or indeed any forensic examination of
Horizon.
He agreed to send help & with this in mind I received a text from Paul (Jones) who is
an auditor/trainer on 9" December saying he was coming to the office on 14" at the
request of Gareth who is his boss. I explained it was not an auditor that was needed
but also a phorensic investigator that could identify where the shortfalls were
occurring.
I was by now convinced losses were not occurring because of lack of training or theft
etc. I had employed an ex-sub postmaster Jean Walters to attend the office purely to
investigate this. I paid them personally. This was to ensure Horizon was working
properly and to investigate further losses. She failed and despite years of experience
we were no nearer getting an answer. Paul visited my office on 14'" December 2016.
It was the audit by Paul Jones that threw up further losses of over £3,000 and which is
the subject of this current claim back by the Paul.
By mutual agreement Paul confirmed he had some ability to ask for assistance on a
phorensic basis and he would report back. This is exactly what Judy Balderson had
said she would do. He said the PO has the ability to run reports that were not available
to us or indeed at branch. I have waited but with no response. The PO are now again
demanding money back.
I contacted Paul by text message on two occasions, most recently on 23" January
asking for feedback. I received no acknowledgment or reply.
With the utmost respect, I have been personally subsidising the running of the office
for over 8 months. I have received no help from the PO having to call in favours from
staff whom I have had contact with over the years. I relied on goodwill and pestering.
I have been officially via the helpline, formally denied any help and left to flounder. I
have had enough. The stress this has caused has been instrumental in making my
already failing health, much worse. I have no hesitation in saying it’s had an
extremely detrimental effect on my health and mental wellbeing and in that regard I
believe the PO are in serious breach of its duty of care to workers, whether staff or
agency.
An interview took place on Wednesday 8" February 2017 for a new Subpostmaster to
take over the office / contract, under the ‘network transformation process’. He was
successful but if the applicant had been rejected, be on notice I fully intended to close
the office with immediate effect. That is the state I have found myself in.
As for repayment of the current balance, that is a different matter. I believe the
conduct of the PO has been neglectful and unacceptable. I am willing to enter
discussions on this point only but at this time will make no agreement at repayment.
This matter is at a crucial point. Losses continue to accrue on an almost daily basis.
And you can not expect my replacement SPM to accept the same level of problems
with Horizon etc that I have had to endure. You now have a pressing duty to sort out
whatever is going wrong and quickly.
We ourselves were able to identify an issue with Moneygram. The staff are convinced
some of the problems that are occurring are down to scratch cards, where numbers are
checked at opening and closing of day and money tallies up as its kept separate.
Despite this the number we is still out.
To attribute sustained losses to theft or human error is no longer tenable. Losses
occurred when 3 long standing ex sub postmasters were in charge as well as present
counter staff, one of which has been working in the PO for 15 yrs.
I am awaiting a date for the new SPM to be appointed. In the meantime I await your
advices as to what the Post Office intend to do as far as this current and totally
unacceptable situation is concerned?
Subpostmaster.
ce; Agents accounting team
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