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Patrick Bourkef.
Sent: Mon 24/08/2015 8:16:02 AM (UTC)
To: bourkep¢
Subject: FW: Panorama
From: Patrick Bourke
Sent: 19 August 2015 08:36
To: Mark Underwood1
Subject: FW: Panorama
Fyi
From: Neil Hayward
Sent: 18/08/2015 22:23
To: Paula Vennells
Ce: Mark R Davies; Nick Beal; Alisdair Cameron; Jane MacLeod; Melanie Corfield; Patrick Bourke; Nick Beal
Subject: Re: Panorama
Hi I do agree and think that this is a balanced approach as a public response, but that we need to keep working
on what he/they may say if asked for more comment
Regards
Neil
Sent from my iPhone
wrote:
On 18 Aug 2015, at 21:06, Paula Vennells! I
A very helpful if ‘politically’ positioned letter!
George could never be accused of being in anyone's pocket.
Great mail to open tonight compared to some from last night.
Paula
Paula Vennells
Chief Executive
Post Office Ltd
Sent from my iPad
On 18 Aug 2015, at 18:04, Mark R Davies
All
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George T has written to his members as below.
Mark
Mark Davies
Communications and Corporate Affairs Director
Post Office Ltd
Begin forwarded message:
From: David McConnel
Date: 18 August 2015.
To: Mark R Davies +_
Ce: Sharon Merryweathe!
George Thomson: _
Subject: RE: Panorama
Hi Mark,
We have issued the statement below to members — we remain firm on
Horizon, you'll appreciate too we need to maintain the ‘critical friend’ stance.
Regards
David
Post Office under the spotlight
Over recent weeks the inner workings of the Post Office have undergone
more detailed public exposure that it is has in many a year. Around a million
of our customers now know a lot more about the Post Office than they once
did.
The BBC2 documentary ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered — the Inside Story of the
Post Office’ revealed over three weeks the struggles and strains the business
is currently experiencing. Viewers saw the profound impact of change on
subpostmasters, some of whom are being taken in a direction they don’t
want to go. Viewers also got to know some new subpostmasters entering the
business, for whom the new Post Office is an opportunity to expand their
retail businesses.
They also saw a glimpse of the inner workings of the corporate Post Office, its
managers, its peculiar language and shiny new London office. Last night’s
Panorama BBC1 documentary sought to get underneath the bright shiny
exterior of the Post Office and reveal a less palatable side of the business: the
long-standing issue of prosecutions of subpostmasters and the alleged
systematic failings of Horizon looks set to continue for some time yet.
Over the past few years the NFSP has received thousands of telephone calls
from subpostmasters. The majority relate to employment law, contract issues
and network transformation. The remainder cover ATMs, cash supply and just
about every subject you care to mention, including a handful every month on
Horizon connectivity and the problems of getting through to Atos and the
help desk.
Put simply, the NFSP has not received calls from subpostmasters querying
Horizon and alleging systematic failings. If there were a widespread problem,
our subpostmasters would have made us aware of it. As a result, we have no
choice but to conclude that Horizon is a fundamentally sound and safe
system.
With a new Government and a new chairman on the way, the pressure on the
Post Office will intensify over the coming months. We have seen from its
latest financial reports that the Post Office remains a struggling business,
unable to do more than steady the ship in the face of increasingly fierce
competition; navigating a route to growth and commercial success is still
some way off. As subpostmasters with a commercial interest in a successful
Post Office, we must hope that the organisation is able to successfully focus
on the business in hand.
Here is the Post Office’s response to Panorama:
http://corporate. postoffice.co.uk/bbc-panorama-our-response
Yours sincerely,
George Thomson
From: George Thomson
Sent: 18 August 2015 08:46
To: Mark R Davies
c f
; Sharon Merryweather
Subject: Re: Panorama
Hi Mark
Similar to requests for Paula to resign,I have had 2 subpostmasters so far
demanding my resignation,any attempt to now soften both our stances
on Horizon would be catastrophic for the Network and company.
VB
George
Sent from my iPad
On 18 Aug 2015, at 07:58, Mark R Davies
Good to see George. I was surprised they didn't at least
reflect your view in the programme as the representative of
most postmasters.
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Mark Davies
Communications and Corporate Affairs Director
Post Office Ltd
e Thomson
wrote:
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: George Thomson
‘Date: 18 August 2015 07:51
BST
To: Sharon Merryweather
Subject: Re: Panorama
Our reply will be consistent
Horizon is robust,last nights
programme was bullshit.
George
Sent from my iPad
On 18 Aug 2015, at
07:32, Sharon
Still at home but have
we got anything
prepared for when the
calls come in?
Assuming David will
deal with press. Do
we refer spms to
Angela van den
Bogerd like before?
Hope it won't happen,
but we both know it
will and we need to
know what to do
before the event.
Thanks
XXX
Sent from my iPad
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please contact the sender by reply email and then delete this email from your system. Any views or opinions expressed within
this email are solely those of the sender, unless otherwise specifically stated.
POST OFFICE LIMITED is registered in England and Wales no 2154540. Registered Office: Finsbury Dials, 20 Finsbury Street,
London EC2Y 9AQ.