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Witness Statement No.1
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Dated: 16 August 2024
POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
FIRST WITNESS STATEMENT OF CHRIS BROCKLESBY
Statement
1. 1, Chris Brocklesby, will say as follows.
2. Iam employed as the Chief Transformation Officer of the Post Office Limited. I
joined POL in August 2023.
3. This witness statement is made to assist the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (the
“Inquiry”) with the matters set out in the request for information pursuant to Rule
9 of the Inquiry Rules 2006 — Request number 1, regarding matters falling within
Phase 7 of the Inquiry dated 12 July 2024. I have been assisted by Burness Paull
LLP, my appointed legal representatives, in the preparation and drafting of my
statement. I have not been assisted by POL in preparing my statement.
Professional Background
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4. Ihave a BSc 1st Class Chemical Engineering, from University College London. I
have since worked exclusively in IT.
5. [have had a 36-year career in IT. My previous roles are:
a) Accenture; Partner (1988-2006) - specialising in large scale programme
delivery in Financial Services with clients such as AXA, Legal & General
and Barclays.
b) Tesco UK; UK IT Director (2007-2010) - in this role I ran a team of 1,200
people (on and offshore) to support and develop all central head office,
store and distribution centre IT systems and hardware.
c) Tesco.com; CIO (2011-2012) - led the IT team responsible for the
development and support of all on-line businesses in the UK and set up
a Group Development team to create and deploy an on-line capability to
all Tesco territories.
d) Tesco Bank; CIO (2012-2015) — a member of the Executive Committee
responsible for all aspects of IT at the Bank including the creation of a
new Current Account proposition.
e) Easyjet; ClO (2015-2018) — a member of the Airline Management Board
responsible for all aspects of IT from aircraft scheduling through to
customer website and apps.
f) Vodafone UK; CIO (2018-2021) — responsible for all IT including a large
transformation programme to consolidate multiple legacy systems.
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g) Dunelm; ClO (2021-2023) — a member of the Executive team
responsible for all IT with a focus on the switch to digital retailing.
h) POL; CTO (2023-2024) - a member of the Strategic Executive Group
responsible for IT including the delivery of the SPM programme which is
replacing the Horizon system.
6. I have been asked to summarise my understanding and experience with the
Horizon IT system. This is a complex system, and I appreciate the Inquiry is very
aware of the detail and history of the system. Horizon is the IT system which
manages all POL branch transactions and it is deployed to all 11,700 branches
and 22,000 counters. Support and ongoing development are largely outsourced
to Fujitsu and it runs from two Fujitsu managed data centres in Belfast.
7. In terms of my experience with the Horizon IT system, I am accountable for the
day-to-day operation of Horizon from a POL perspective although, as I noted, the
service is still mostly outsourced to Fujitsu with some activities being moved into
POL (as part of the Application Modernisation project).
8. Application Modernisation involves POL re-building components of Horizon which
interface with 3" party partners (e.g. the Banks and the Royal Mail Group). This
allows POL to own and support these critical components and also minimises the
impact of migrating from Horizon to the new system (NBIT).
9. Another of my responsibilities is all change activities on the Horizon system. These
include:
a) the regular Horizon software releases which include defect fixes and
enhancements for Postmasters
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b) implementation of the Horizon Issues Judgement (HIJ)
recommendations and improvements
c) Infrastructure upgrades to reduce operational risk (known as Datacentre
Fortification), and
d) projects to re-architect components of the Horizon system to bring them
into POL control and support.
10. I have a full time IT Director reporting to me, who is responsible for all Horizon
work at POL, Simon Oldnall. This is one of his various responsibilities, and he has
a team of approximately forty-five people who manage the service provided by
Fujitsu through the following functions:
a) Horizon service management
b) Commercial and contract management
c) Reference data services
d) Testing
e) Architecture
f) Postmaster engagement
11. I understand this team structure has been in place for some time.
12. POL have a monthly governance meeting with Fujitsu. This is led from the POL
side by Simon Oldnall and from Fujitsu by Dan Walton. These meetings are
formally minuted, and have a standing agenda which covers:
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a) service KPIs and escalations
b) defect reporting
c) status of regular Horizon counter releases
d) progress on projects such as datacentre fortification and application
modernisation
e) commercial escalations.
Experience of POL Strategic Executive Group
13. I did not receive any training or induction prior to my appointment to the POL SEG
I was appointed to POL SEG immediately on commencing my employment as
CTO, and my induction took place once I was in role.
14. My induction once in role involved introductory briefing meetings with:
a) Group Executive colleagues
b) Board members
c) Members of my team
d) Simon Recaldin (Remediation Unit Director)
e) Key suppliers.
15. I was enrolled in the corporate training programme which involves the completion
of online, mandatory training courses such as:
a) Contract management
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b) Anti bribery and corruption
c) Data protection
d) Information security
e) Competition law
f) Anti money laundering and counter terrorist funding
g) Procurement
h) Confidentiality undertakings.
16. As far as I recall, there was no formal training programme on IT or HR systems,
or other internal systems.
17. My induction and training at POL was broadly in line with what I have received at
other organisations that I have worked for. It covered the basics required. On
reflection, one element which would have been of assistance is an introductory
course which provides a baseline understanding of the organisation, governance,
and history. This is something I have seen at other organisations, and in my
experience, POL is lacking this component in its induction — especially in view of
the relative complexity and uniqueness of POL as an entity.
18. When I joined POL in August 2023, I was aware broadly of some of the issues due
to the public coverage (which became more extensive during my time at POL, for
example with the Mr Bates vs The Post Office television programme, which was
released in January 2024). As set out above, I joined the SEG immediately on
beginning in my role at POL. There were no formal briefings on the issues
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addressed by the Inquiry. During the interview process and immediately prior to
joining I had some informal conversations with Nick Read and Owen Woodley.
These conversations were high level and quite general in nature.
19. To the extent my role overlaps with the issues raised in the inquiry, this is focused
on ensuring POL supports postmasters in respect of how Horizon operates today,
and that HIJ findings have been addressed in the Horizon software and the control
processes involved. Overall, although the formal briefings were limited, there was
sufficient information on the issues addressed by the Inquiry to allow me to carry
out my role.
20. At the then CEO’s encouragement, I attended the Inquiry to gain an understanding
of the format and topics which are being scrutinised and to fully appreciate the true
impact on Postmasters.
21. Within my first month I spent time with Simon Recaldin being briefed on the
background to the Inquiry, the different compensation schemes and the processes
involved in assessing and paying out compensation to Postmasters, which had
sufficient detail given this area was outside my remit. This included an in-person
presentation from Simon about the issues but I do not have access to the materials
used at the time. This information did not directly relate to my role but was provided
as general background and insight into the ongoing compensation issues.
22. I became a member of Improvement Delivery Group (IDG) immediately upon
commencing my role as CTO, which had the remit of addressing past failings,
responding to current issues, driving operation and cultural change and rebuilding
trust with Postmasters. The committee assessed progress on topics such as
Postmaster induction and training, shortfall and discrepancies, suspensions and
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terminations. It also assessed the progress of addressing the HlJ findings within
Horizon. This gave me insight into the issues of the past and the actions plans to
address those issues. I was the SEG sponsor for the HIJ Remediation programme
which had the remit of implementing changes to the Horizon system in order to
address specific recommendations from HIJ. The group met fortnightly and was
chaired by the CEO and was a challenging environment in which POL leaders
were challenged on progress and pace.
23. The issues addressed by the Inquiry are complex. I felt I knew enough to
understand and participate in an informed way in SEG briefings, although these
areas do not fall specifically within my remit to manage. As referred to above, my
role involves ensuring the implementation of the HlJ in so far as it applies to the
operation of Horizon.
24. IIn respect of POL’s current corporate governance arrangements, and the
adequacy and effectiveness of that structure, my view is that POL’s corporate
governance structure (e.g. Board with Independent Chair and NEDs, Audit,
Remco and Nomco subcommittees) is in line with my experience of other large
commercial organisations. Meetings are scheduled regularly and are minuted and
actions documented and followed up. Minutes of previous meetings are
subsequently signed off by the chair. Terms of reference exist for all sub-
committees and these are regularly reviewed and updated. This level of formality
is more than I have typically experienced in commercial organisations.
25. In terms of Board structure, decision making responsibility lies with the Board
across a wide range of areas. In my opinion, the CEO does not have sufficient
delegated financial authority, which means that many decisions need to be signed
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off by the Board as a whole. Any business case or procurement activity over £5
million must be signed off by the Board. Although this is a large figure, given the
size of POL, there is a significant number of spends which meet this threshold.
Procurement activity typically requires two Board visits; the first to agree a
procurement strategy and the second to agree the contract award. The Board
agenda is often full of procurement and business case approvals due to the lack
of delegated authority to the CEO or SEG, as well as updates on remediation
matters.
26. In my view this does not allow the Board the time to deal with more forward-looking
items such as business strategy, building capability, IT/data strategy etc. Although
the corporate governance arrangements are adequate, the delegations could be
more effective, to enable the Board to focus more time and attention on strategic
rather than operational issues.
27. POL’s unique ownership structure requires many other additional formal and
informal meetings with Shareholder representatives and UKGI which consume a
significant proportion of the Executive’s capacity and adds a layer of complexity in
the governance structure.
28. It seems to me that there is insufficient focus on enterprise risk management; the
quality of documented risks and the monitoring of mitigating actions needs to be
improved. For example, monthly SEG meetings do not include, as a matter of
course, a review of enterprise risks. The only occasion I recall there being a
discussion about risks is in preparation for the Annual Accounts.
29. I have been asked to describe the culture of POL at SEG level, and my reflections
on the ways in which the culture has or has not changed following the HlJ or
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Inquiry findings. As I have referred to above, I was not in post within POL prior to
August 2023, and accordingly my direct experience of the previous culture and
how it may, or may not, have changed since the findings in the HIJ and to some
extent the evidence arising from the Inquiry is limited.
30. My experience has been that SEG members are passionate about public service
and providing an essential public utility to UK citizens. Postmasters feature in most
conversations and the impact on Postmasters is considered in most decisions.
31. The culture at POL level is an unusual mixture of a commercial enterprise and a
government department. The commercial aspects are evidenced by weekly
trading statements, trading meetings, financial reporting focussed on profit, events
such as peak trading over Christmas etc. The governmental aspects are
evidenced by the time spent on adherence to Government procurement rules,
management of the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) and its Ministers
and the restrictions associated with Managing Public Money.
32. However, my observation is that the culture has been significantly influenced by
the historic issues being addressed by the Horizon Inquiry which has resulted in
risk aversion and a tendency to defer decisions to senior management.
33. I would say that there is a positive culture of constructive challenge with a good
level of constructive challenge in the organisation. For example, recommendations
to SEG are not always accepted and there is often a robust debate at SEG about
the way forward before an agreement is reached or the CEO has to make a
decision.
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34. In respect of audit and legal; the risk aversion manifests in the overbearing use of
2™ and 3% line audits. The capacity of these teams is always stretched which
means that audits are often undertaken by external 3” parties with little or no
experience of POL. This is costly and inefficient and overburdens the front-line
operation with the implementation of numerous recommendations. While the
recommendations are generally sensible, given the volume of these and in some
cases, the proportionality of implementing them, the relative benefits can be
limited.
35. There has been a significant change in the SEG and Board membership over the
year I have been at POL, which obviously has an impact on corporate knowledge
and direction. Furthermore, for an organisation of this scale and complexity and in
view of the current challenges it is dealing with (including the Inquiry), it is less
than optimal that POL is, and has been for some period, operating with a large
proportion of “interim” senior managers and leaders. It is important for the stability
of POL that permanent appointments are made through the appropriate rigorous
recruitment processes.
36. Generally, I would say that business strategy is inferred rather than explicit. The
size of the network and many of the products sold are mandated by government
policy therefore there are few conversations about the strategic intent of POL.
37. Generally, the SEG meetings are reflective of good corporate governance at an
executive level although, as highlighted above, agendas are often full of
transactional approvals caused by lack of delegated authority and risk aversion.
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38. Having joined POL in 2023 I may not be aware of all changes which have been
made since the findings of Fraser LJ or following the Inquiry evidence sessions. I
am aware, however, of the following changes:
a) The appointment of two Postmaster NEDs to the Group Board.
b) The appointment of a Postmaster Engagement Director (a serving
Postmaster) to drive Postmaster engagement.
c) All senior members of the POL team are encouraged to ‘Adopt an Area’
which drives a personal, enduring relationship with specific Postmasters.
d) The procedures for Postmaster suspensions and terminations have
been improved to include an independent panel to review
recommendations to take disciplinary action.
e) There is now much more support for Postmasters with discrepancies.
This includes a ‘Dispute button’ which Postmasters use to highlight that
they need help and a 3-tier support process to analyse and identify the
root cause of discrepancies. My team work with the POL Retail to
support Postmasters during these investigations.
f) Arefresh and upgrade of all Postmaster training.
g) A new approach to Postmaster communication with transparency and
openness driving all communication.
h) More openness on Horizon defects. Any new defect with a possibility of
having financial impact to Postmasters is posted on Branch Hub (the
Postmaster communication portal) and resolution is updated. This area
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is something which sits directly within my remit. There is also monthly
SEG and Board reporting on Horizon defects.
39. In my view POL takes appropriate steps to support the building and maintaining
of trust between POL and SPMs, managers and assistants. Postmaster impact is
always considered in decision making. The views of Postmaster NEDs are often
sought before operational decisions are made or Board recommendations are
submitted.
40. Senior POL colleagues are encouraged to ‘adopt an area’ and spend time in
branch especially around peak trading times in order to support Postmasters and
get to understand the operation of a Post Office.
41. My team have organised specific briefings on NBIT for the National Federation of
SubPostmasters (NFSP) and have attended the recent NFSP conference to
demonstrate the new system. They also have monthly briefings with the NFSP to
walk through the latest service metrics and Horizon defect position.
SEG’s relationship and approach towards SPMs
42. Further to what is set out above at paragraph 39, I have been asked to summarise
my experience of SEG’s relationship with, and approach to, SPMs. In my
experience, SEG are very respectful of Postmasters and their views. SPMs are
always taken into account when making decisions.
43. SEG are very aware of the historic lack of communication breeding a sense of
distrust and are therefore focussed on openness and regular communication. This
manifests in regular postmaster newsletters, Postmaster townhalls and
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conferences. The focus on communications is much more intense that any
equivalent approach for front line staff that I have experienced in other retailers.
44. SEG are encouraged to represent POL at Restorative Justice sessions around the
country (I have attended a 2-day session in Leeds). These sessions allow
Postmasters and their families to describe the details of POL wrongdoing and the
profound impact on them and their families. The sessions are incredibly impactful
to SEG members and, I hope, useful to Postmasters as they try to rebuild their
lives.
45. SEG are attempting to rebuild the working relationship with NFSP and Voice of
the Postmaster. This has manifested in their inclusion in a number of working
sessions within the organisation and a quarterly review with some SEG members.
My experience of SEG and the Board
46. My experience of SEG’s relationship with the POL Board arises primarily from my
attendance at Board meetings on a regular basis to address the Board on matters
within my remit as CTO and also the general interactions which the SEG has with
the Board which is largely led by the CEO, Deputy CEO and CFO.
47. Both the CEO and CFO are members of SEG and the Board, which is in keeping
with my experience with other corporate governance structures and they lead the
interactions on behalf of SEG with the Board. The Deputy CEO has historically
attended Board meetings also.
48. As I mention above, I have attended most of the Board meetings since I have been
in POL for the purposes of addressing specific agenda items within my remit (as
opposed to attending the entire Board meeting). Usually this is to present on and
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seek financial sign off for IT projects or the sign off of new procurement strategies
and contract awards (I require to seek approval for any spend of £5m+). While
these are not standing agenda items, given the current business of POL and the
backdrop of the Horizon Inquiry, they regularly feature.
49. In more general terms. I am aware that Board members are kept regularly updated
on issues within POL by the CEO via a monthly CEO report circulated prior to and
delivered at the Board meetings and ad hoc updates when required. There is a
technology section within the CEO report which I assist with. I have also attended
the Audit and Risk Committee to present on topics such as Cyber risks and
incidents, IT controls within the Assurance framework for the SPM Programme. In
addition, I have presented to each of the newly created Investment Committee
meetings - the main topic has been progress and funding of the SPM programme.
50. I am also responsible for creating a Tech dashboard each month for review by
both SEG and the Board. This includes metrics on the service provided to
Postmasters and colleagues and also data on Horizon defects and the usage of
privileged and remote access by Fujitsu.
51. My sense is that most members of the SEG have good individual relationships
with some members of the Board and there is a lot of interaction with members
between Board meetings — more than I have experienced in some other
organisations.
52. I have felt that SEG members have been frustrated with the lack of support or
empathy from the Board for the disruption and stress caused by the many issues
recently (e.g. the ITV drama, Staunton’s departure, constant press stories about
Nick Read etc.).
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53. I have been asked to provide a summary of my understanding and experience of
the POL SEG’s relationship with key relevant external stakeholders, such as the
National Federation of Sub Postmasters (NFSP), Communications and Workers
Union (CWU), Fujitsu, UK Government Investments (UKGI) and the Department
for Business and Trade (DBT).
54. SEG’s relationship with NFSP, CWU and Voice of the Postmaster is business like.
There is an understanding that NFSP are the official representatives of
Postmasters and need to be involved/consulted in some key changes. However,
the relationship is therefore transactional in nature rather than anything close to a
partnership.
55. There is no formal structure for SEG to have a direct relationship with Fujitsu. The
interaction with Fujitsu happens at a lower level in the organisation between Simon
Oldnall and Dan Walton. The background of the inquiry has meant that CEO to
CEO level communication is mainly through formal letters, which reflects the
nature of the relationship.
56. SEG’s relationship with UKGI is managed through Lorna Gratton as the POL
Director appointed by UKGI. SEG has limited interaction with anyone else within
UKGI. Lorna is seen as a strong advocate for POL, a fair but challenging Board
member and someone with the intellectual capacity to understand complexity and
nuance. Her counsel is usually sought before any important decision by SEG
members especially those which require alignment and support from DBT. She
clearly has influence and close relationships with critical DBT colleagues such as
Carl Cresswell and others.
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57. SEG'’s relationship with DBT is varied. Much of the relationship is managed by the
POL CEO with Carl Cresswell (Director, Business Resilience, DBT), David
Bickerton (Director General, DBT) and others. Other contacts are regular but quite
transactional. My interactions directly with DBT have typically involved funding
requests and have at times, been frustrating. DBT colleagues are committed and
experienced civil servants but do not have all the necessary expertise or
understanding of IT or programme delivery. This was one of the conclusions of the
recent Infrastructure Project Authority (IPA) review of the SPM programme. The
exception has been Jason Kitcat (the DBT CIO) who has been a strong supporter
of the SPM programme and our IT Strategy. He has often challenged other civil
servants when their recommendations do not align with the programme's
approach. There is still confusion about DBT’s responsibilities as POL’s
shareholder when there is an Independent Board overseeing the POL business.
Composition of SEG and POL Board
58. My view on the current composition of the POL SEG with regard to experience,
expertise and abilities is impacted by the recent changes experienced by the SEG.
The SEG had been slimmed down to only five executive members, but the
appointments of the new Chairman, and subsequent additional interim roles, have
now increased this, which makes the meetings less efficient with many new
members still coming up to speed.
59. One of the major issues with SEG has been the high turnover. When I joined POL
in August 2023 there were ten members. Of those, only three remain in the current
team, with five new members. Owen Woodley retires from POL in August, leaving
the Chief of Staff and myself as the only remaining members of the team from
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August 2023. I then leave POL on 6 September 2024. This means that there is a
lack of corporate knowledge and understanding of context although this does
mean that there is new experience available. The current SEG membership is:
Owen Woodley Acting CEO - retiring from POL on 30 August 2024
Chris Brocklesby Chief Transformation Officer — leaving POL on 6
September 2024
Karen McEwan Chief People Officer
Neil Brocklehurst Interim Chief Operating Officer
Preetha McCann Interim Chief Finance Officer
Sarah Gray Interim General Counsel BAU (attending)
John Dillon Interim General Counsel Inquiry (attending)
Charlotte Cool Interim Corporate Affairs Director (attending)
Chrysanthy Pispinis Chief of Staff (attending)
60. At the time of writing, there is no clarity on who will be the Acting CEO on the 1 st
of September and, that appointment apart, there would be only two permanent
members of staff.
61. Few of the current SEG members have experience of working directly with central
Government or within a Government department — there is a significant learning
curve in understanding the dynamics of central Government and the specific
requirements of procurement and other government processes. Recent recruits
appear to have had lengthy careers in commercial retail businesses which will
benefit POL, albeit without the Government experience.
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62. It is too early to know whether these individuals can work effectively together to
create a strong SEG team something that has been lacking due to the high
turnover and constant crisis management which has been a recurring theme of
2024. In my view SEG members have been working at an unsustainable intensity
and pressure for some time.
63. In terms of the composition of the POL Board, and the experience, expertise and
abilities of its members, I believe that the level of general management experience
of the Board is as I would expect. All the Board members (aside from the
Postmaster NEDs) have fulfilled senior roles in large public companies. Many of
Board members come from a Financial Services background and I would have
expected more retail experience around the table as overseeing a large, diverse
retail network creates specific challenges. There are also no Board members, that
I am aware of with public sector experience other than Lorna Gratton. In my view
it would be beneficial to have a broader range of commercial and public sector
background.
64. In terms of the desirability of the composition of the board, in my view the
Postmaster NEDs fulfil an essential role — they bring real world Postmaster
experience into the discussions and ensure that Postmaster impact is always
considered in Board discussions.
65. There are some Board members who are legally qualified — in my view the level
of legal experience is appropriate given the complex legal environment that POL
is operating within i.e. alongside a Public Inquiry and having to manage complex
procurement arrangements.
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66. There are no Board members that I am aware of with IT experience — this would
have benefitted the Post Office given the historic under investment in IT which has
created material operational risks and the amount of IT Transformation work which
is now necessary. Having an advocate to challenge the SEG to manage risks such
as Cyber Security and ensure IT systems were kept current would have been
useful to POL. It would also have meant that the new Investment Committee
(which oversees the transformation agenda) would have more experience to
challenge and support this important work.
Whistleblowing at POL
67. I have been asked for my view on whether POL culture actively encourages
whistleblowers to speak openly and honestly about their concerns. My experience
is that whistleblowing is encouraged much more than other organisations I have
worked in. There is an internal programme called Speak Up, and the Speak Up
contact numbers are regularly published to our staff. It is something regularly
referenced as part of management meetings, and generally there is good visibility
of the programme and the different mechanisms through which to whistleblow.
Whistleblowing is led by the Legal team, and so I have restricted visibility of the
specifics of investigations and outcomes, which I consider to be appropriate.
68. Since commencing my role within POL in 2023 I am aware of whistleblowers and
the investigations that have resulted, but without a high level of detail. I have
chaired an investigation panel as a result of a whistleblower’s accusations and I
have seen the regular monthly reports in SEG of the number of investigations
underway (simply codenames with no details). There are many more
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investigations underway than anywhere else that I have worked — these
investigations are taken seriously and confidentiality is respected.
69. Based on my experience to date, and from the perspective of my role, I am
confident that POL’s whistleblowing policies and procedures are adequate and
effective.
Legal professional privilege and legal information
70. I am aware that the legal positioning at POL is complex. In terms of internal legal
positioning, I have an undertaking from the Inquiry and I am aware that I must
check that everyone in the room has the equivalent undertaking before proceeding
to discuss Inquiry matters. I regularly receive emails marked as Legally Privileged
from internal lawyers and know that these cannot be forwarded to others without
the express permission of the lawyers involved to minimise the risk of losing Legal
Privilege.
71. I am aware that the Board and SEG regularly receive external legal advice. As I
have set out above, I only attend the Board meetings for the agenda items relevant
to me, and only one particular occasion comes to mind when I have attended a
Board meeting where legal advice was specifically provided and discussed. On
that occasion, the external legal advisor attended in person to provide the advice,
which was helpful. Overall I have had very limited exposure to legal advice being
provided directly to the Board, and I do not have any particular concerns or
comments about this.
Key Events
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72.1 have been asked about the Times article dated 19 February 2024
(RLIT0000201). I do not recognise the characterisation of the current Post Office
in the article. The observation that the Postmaster NEDs are ‘ignored’ is far from
the truth as I have already stated above. I am not a member of the Board but have
presented regularly and attended many meetings. During those presentations the
two Postmaster NEDs have been given significant opportunities to comment and
their opinions have carried weight and have swayed the Board's conclusions.
73. Specifically in relation to the suggestion that “there is a prevailing culture that
Postmasters continue to be ‘guilty”, this is, again, not a culture I recognise. For
example, the way that discrepancies are now handled by POL is unrecognisable
from the procedures of the past. Postmasters are given the benefit of the doubt
and unexplained losses are not pursued by POL.
74. I have been asked about my understanding of the circumstances of the dismissal
and resignation of two former POL Board members. In relation to the dismissal of
Henry Staunton, I have no specific knowledge of this event. We did have SEG
discussions about the fallout from Henry Staunton’s appearances at the
Parliamentary Sub Committee and subsequent interaction with the Secretary of
State but the specific allegations were not discussed.
75. In relation to the resignation of Alisdair Cameron, I have no knowledge of these
circumstances as this is not within the remit of my role and I do not recollect any
relevant conversations at SEG leading up to this event.
General
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76. I have been asked for any other comments or matters for the Chair to be aware
of. It may be relevant to flag that my contract with POL comes to an end on 6"
September when I will be leaving the organisation.
77. As referred to above, I joined POL in August 2023. The mutual intent was for me
to join as a full-time employee as CTO, and I negotiated the terms of my
employment in early July 2023 on that basis. I was then informed by the (then)
CEO that it would need to be signed off by the Renumeration Committee of the
Board.
78. I subsequently received notification that Renumeration Committee approval had
been given but that the appointment as employee would also require Government
signoff which would not be possible to organise before my start date. The CEO
therefore suggested that I start my role as planned in August, but as a day rate
contractor for a few weeks until signoff had been obtained.
79. By February 2024 no approval had been forthcoming and I was aware that my
contract stipulated a mutual 2 week notice period. I highlighted to the Chief People
Officer that this did not provide certainty for me or for POL, and we agreed to
update my contract to include a mutual 3 month notice period for early termination.
80. In July 2024 I was told by the Acting CEO that my contract (which had been initially
set up for a year) would not be extended (rather than being terminated) as he and
the Interim Chair wanted to bring in someone with a fresh perspective. I was
subsequently told that this was the ex Transformation Director from Camelot. We
subsequently agreed a two-week extension to my existing contract to 6th
September to allow time for a handover to the new Interim CTO.
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81. As with all who have heard or read about these matters, I was shocked by the
issues raised in the Inquiry. These do not reflect my current experience of POL
and its culture, particularly towards Postmasters. My reflection is that POL
recognises the seriousness of the issues which are being examined, recognises
the importance of continuing to learn lessons, and is implementing these lessons
going forward. However, POL’s ability to move forward has been hampered by
constant crisis management, especially during 2024.
Statement of Truth
I believe the content of this statement to be true.
Name: Chris Brocklesby
Date: 16 August 2024
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Index to First Witness Statement of Chris Brocklesby
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Document Description
Control Number
RLITO000201
News article from The Times
titled 'Postmasters on Post
Office board ‘ignored and
unwanted!
RLITO000201
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