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WITNESS STATEMENT OF ELAINE COTTAM (formerly Elaine Tagg)
I was employed as a Retail Line Manager by Post Office Counters Limited - I do
not remember the exact date I took up this post or the date that I left this post.
I was responsible for 27 Post Offices, Cleveleys being one of them that delivered
POCL services to customers and produced weekly accounts.
Para (2) Cleveleys post office was transferred to Mrs Wolstenholme under the
terms of a Family Transfer (no monies involved) i.e Mrs Wolstenholme mother
was the previous sub-postmaster and the office was situated in her mothers
home.
Para (3) I cannot remember if this was the first “case” involving the Horizon
System.
Para (4) I don’t remember having any direct involvement with the Helpdesk.
Para (5) All documentation between myself and Mrs Wolstenholme was held in
a file- that I personally delivered to the POCL Contracts Manager — Paul
Williams @ POCL Area Office in Leeds.
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Para (6) Paul Williams advised me on all communications with
Mrs Wolstenholme re her suspension and termination. I do remember asking if
we could rent the premises from her but she was not willing to do so.
Para (7) Ranvir ? I do not remember / nor record the contact number. I was
visited at my home address by a gentleman about the case but cannot remember
who he was.
Para (8) Other than delivering the termination of services letter, I had no further
involvement about Mrs Wolstenholme’s contract.
Para (9) please refer to Para 7.
Para (10) All papers were taken personally to Leeds Area Office by myself and
that was the end of my involvement - other than arranging the removal of all
POCL equipment, cash, stock etc. from the premises.
Para (11) Please refer to para 7
Para (11) I do not recognise any of the names in your paragraph 11
Para (12) A better resolution would have been for Mrs Wolstenholme to allow
POCL to trade from her premises. She would have been able to receive rent
from the use of her premises.
Para (13) The office had a poor balancing record before the installation.
Para (14) Mrs Wolstenholme makes no mention that her husband/partner used
the Horizon system and was involved in all aspects of the running of the office.
WITNO09530100
WITNO09530100