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From: Henry Staunton
Sent: Mon 15/01/2024 9:28:42 PM (UTC) .
To: Saf ismail I
Ce: Diane Blanchar«
Subject: Re: Project Pineapple
Saf ,
I am determined to get it right for existing PMs and past wronged PMs . However , I nonetheless appreciated
your thanks .
Henry
Sent from Outlook for iOS
From: Saf ismail
Sent: Monday, January
To: Henry Staunton (
Ce: Diane Blanchard
Subject: Re: Project Pineapple
' Elliot Jacobs!
Thank you for your support and effort Henry it's refreshing to see and much appreciated.
Sent from Outlook for Android
From: Henry Staunton
Sent: Monday, J
Cc: Diane Blanchard
Subject: Re: Project Pineapple
Dear Both ,
Have just this minute sent a note to Di forwarding the VOP press release , Elliot’s clarification email , and my file
note.
Will send it tomorrow morning . I will ask Di to copy you first just so you are happy . I am a bit tied up
tomorrow morning so your help would be appreciated . It must go by 11.00 am however .
Brian and Ben cannot make the Thursday meeting . I am talking to them tomorrow afternoon by which time they
will have received all this correspondence .
Best ,
Henry
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From: Saf ismail ¢_
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024
To: Henry Staunton:
Subject: RE: Project Pineapple
Yes happy to send it but it might be worth sending it along with the VoPostmaster press release too?
Regards
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Saf Ismail
Non-Executive Director
Post Office Ltd
Finsbury Dials
20 Finsbury Street
London EC2Y 9AQ.
From: Henry Staunton {
Sent: 15 January
To: Elliot Jacob:
Subject: Re: Project Pineapple
Saf ismail /
Dear Both ,
Would you like me to copy the Independent NEDs with my file note and Elliot’s clarification ?
Accordingly , it would not go to Nick but may help elicit a joint view from the NEDs .
Nick has his hands full and is under ENORMOUS STRESS with the Select Committee and defending himself in yet
another Investigation . I will brief him after the conversation with the NEDs .
Lorna is not an Independent NED and she will be brought in after our private meeting of the Independent NEDs .
Best , Henry
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From: Elliot Jacobs
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024 8:
To: Saf ismail
Subject: Re: Project Pineapple
_P; Henry Staunton ;
Thank you Henry,
Yes, this is fair reflection of our discussion - the point on ATM discrepancies and fake notes being
clawed back should also include the claw back on rejected foreign currency as a result of out of
dated documentation - all of these matters (and others) were highlighted as detriment matters over
2 years ago - but no one has gone back to PMs to say - "we got this wrong, we owe you X..."
One final thing to add: 'Pathclearing' risks looking like a witch hunt - if we start going into branches
saying "you've got losses to make good" this will have echoes of the past - we have to seriously
consider how this is being approached - it falls to Roberts' team again - a man who comes to
Board and only tells us about extreme cases of theft by 1 or 2 which constantly reinforces the
mantra of "all PMs are on the take"... Roberts had two jobs to deliver - exit the DMBs and improve
the PM experience - both have failed and yet he and his team get bonuses...a nice gig if you can
get it! And that in a nutshell, is precisely the issue that PMs see and feel..
Since we spoke I see the VoC have issued a press release - it backs-up everything Saf and I said
when we spoke to you. Whilst they have gone further than we did in terms of the CEO - which I
would not support - I find their points well made, well presented and hard to argue.. I think we
should strongly consider involving them in our next steps and perhaps provide some of the
oversight elements - they hold more influence and more respect with PMs than the NFSP for sure!
If we have to involved NFSP I understand, but it would say a lot if we engaged with VoC too.
Elliot
From: Saf isma
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Sent: Monday, January, 15,
To: Henry Staunton! _
Subject: RE: Project Pineapple
1.2024 10:41. AM
Elliot Jacobs
Hi Henry
This seems fine.
Regards
Saf Ismail
Non-Executive Director
Post Office Ltd
Finsbury Dials
20 Finsbury Street
London EC2Y 94Q
From: Henry Staunton
Sent: 14 Januai
To: Saf ismail (_
Subject: Fwd: Project Pineapple
P; Elliot Jacob:
Dear Both ,
Thank you for your time today .
Thave done a file note of our conversation . Is this a fair reflection of your views. How do you feel about me
sending it to NEDs before the next meeting ? The English does not need to be perfect . The key points are
important . Are there any points I have missed ?
Seeing the issues in writing makes it more difficult to avoid !
BW.
Henry
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Sent: Sunday, January
To: Henry Staunton{
Subject: Project Pineapple
Note of conversation with Saf and Elliot on Sunday 10 January
Saf said the views expressed by Richard Taylor , and previously by management and even members of the
Board , still persisted - that those PMs who had not come forward to be exonerated were "guilty as charged " .
It is a view deep in the culture of the organisation ( inc at Board level ) including that Post Masters are not to
be trusted . SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE .
Martin Roberts and certain members of his team were singled out . There has been no feedback on the
investigation into Roberts ( inc for inappropriate behaviour and lack of integrity ). He was responsible for the
postage stamps debacle where changes were made to accounts by his team just like Fujitsu . If Elliot had not
been on ARC the controls would not have been strengthened . Roberts and his team do not want any
extension to their terms of office as they believe new PMs would not have the experience to challenge them .
Equally Saf and Elliot are FED UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF POWER WIELDED BY FOAT . He and
other members of the senior team act as if PMs ARE GUILTY UNTIL PROVED INNOCENT ("as per my
experience " they both said ) . " No one believes us " is a constant refrain from PMs .. WHILST FOAT IS AT
THE HELM NOTHING WILL CHANGE . We must also part company with all those investigators who
behaved so terribly with PMs. What on earth is happening if Steve Bradshaw is still with us - his performance
at the Inquiry was a disgrace and reflected terribly on Post Office . Foat uses his leadership of the Inquiry team
as an instrument of his power - it all has to stop . The PM " is not the enemy ." "" Only PMs can solve this" and
tell us how to change . JB is an ex police man . His behaviour has been unacceptable and he needs to move on
to prove we have changed .
The payment to one of PM of £16 as compensation said it all .
There are some 48 people involved in Investigations . There are over 40 just like Bradshaw . These people
need to go . Project Phoenix was allowed by Foat to go into the long grass . Bradshaw went into one of Saf's
stores some years ago and immediately said " we are closing you down" . PMs tell him not much has changed
since . There is a complete lack of respect for PMs and that has to change .
As a Board we need to send a signal to the Executive providing guidance and improving the culture
significantly. The current culture was described as " toxic " ( references to our reaction to fake notes , ATM
differences etc etc ) . We discussed a suggestion that we set up a BOARD Committee on Culture with both
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PMs on it with one or two others . It would need to have teeth . It would be outside Saf and Elliot's NED
responsibilities and would require additional rem . It would have the benefit of making us more PM centric .
We need as a Board to be seen to grip the situation .
Both thought there ought to be PM NED membership on all committees inc RemCo . It may be another PM
Director would be needed - but that may be difficult . Wrt rem it was noted that the December bonuses went
down badly with PMs . There were no similar bonuses for PMs . Our generous Sick Leave was highlighted -
there are no similar benefits to PMs . How are we accepting so many people drawing sick leave payments esp
in HR.
A lot in this note to consider and take forward with the Board .
Sent from Outlook for iOS