The National Federation of Subpostmasters to my knowledge is the only Post Office recognized organization available to represent Subpostmasters. Having been a member for many years I turned to General Secretary Colin Baker for assistance with this issue. What happened is nothing less than a disgrace and should serve as a warning for anyone considering membership.
The details were summarized in a leaflet which I handed out to delegates attending the annual Federation conference in Torquay in May 2004. The leaflet was entitled - Colin Baker — who does he work for ?
The following text is taken from that leaflet
Until November 2003 I was a Subpostmaster of the busiest subpostoffice in the area and then the Post Office took the office away from me ‘without giving a reason’ and gave it to someone else and Colin effectively said that’s OK with me.
I had taken on the business which included the three position post office in early 1998 and then spent tens of thousands of pounds building a new extension to the premises. This allowed the post office to be moved into a far more prominent and substantially enlarged area at the front of the shop which resulted in excellent year on year growth of Post Office trade in spite of the ever changing procession of Retail Line/Network Managers (5 in 5 years).
So what’s it all about and yes it is important and yes it effects everyone with a post office and yes it looks like Colin has agreed to all Subpostmasters accepting unlimited liability of Horizon system losses from the Post Office.
In an effort to briefly explain what occurred, below is a letter which was published in our local newspaper during October 2003 where I try to explain to our local customers what was going on at that time.
The North Wales Weekly News Letter
So what did The Federation do to support its member on this issue — absolutely nothing. On the 18th September 2003 I wrote to Colin Baker enclosing a 40 page file of correspondence relating to this issue and received no response. On the 23rd September 2003 I sent further documents — no response. 14th October 2003 I wrote to find out what The Federation were doing about my case — I received a letter of acknowledgement and a confirmation that the matter was receiving attention. After a telephone call to Shoreham ( Federation HQ) and failing to speak to someone about my case I again wrote to Colin Baker on the 28th October 2003 — no response. In the last week leading up to the removal of Post Office on 5th November 2003 I made many phone calls to Shoreham but nobody spoke with me about my circumstances and on 6th November 2003 Post Office Ltd arrived and took away their equipment and stock.
I wrote the following letter to Colin Baker on 11th December 2003
“Dear Mr Baker
I am writing to you with regard to Craig-y-don Post Office further to my previous letters. Post Office Ltd have now closed the office and I have to tell you I am very, very disappointed with the lack of response to my plea for help and assistance from The National Federation of Subpostmasters.
The post office ceased trading at 5.30pm, 5th November 2003 and in the weeks prior to that I made numerous telephone calls to your office, but to no avail, nobody ever responded. The file I sent you in mid September about my case highlighted how the issue not only affected me but also every Subpostmaster who runs a post office. The Horizon system is flawed and Post Office Ltd are trying to hold Subpostmasters liable for system losses without allowing full access to the system to check the data they have input.
As The Federation were not able to stand up to Post Office Ltd and support its member is this issue, it subsequently allowed the Post Office to just take away our investment, livelihood and life savings in one fell swoop. I have no doubt that Post Office Ltd are involved in a major cover-up of the inadequacies of the Horizon system and I will continue, even as a voice alone, to raise the profile of this issue and to have it investigated at the highest level
Yours a truly disappointed
Ex Subpostmaster Craig-y-don Post Office
Copied to Gwynedd Branch”
