Dear Mr Malhotra,

 

Ref: OOLO-8ZBJ2W

 

Thank you for your email received on 22 October 2012, which we are
considering under the Freedom of Information Act.  Under the Act you
should expect a reply from us to be sent by 19 November 2012, which is
twenty working days from receipt of your request.

 

If for any reason we are unable to provide you with a full response within
that time, we will contact you explaining the reasons for this and giving
a revised date by which we will reply. 

 

If in the meantime, you have any questions or would like to contact us
about your request, please contact us by telephone 0207 250 2647 or
alternatively email or write to us. Please be assured that we are giving
this our attention and will get back to you shortly.

 

Yours sincerely

 

O. Olabopo

Information Rights Team Support

 

Post Office Ltd

1^st Floor

Old Street Wing

148 Old Street

London

EC1V 9HQ

Post Office Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered No.
2154540. Registered Office 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ. Post Office
and the Post Office logo are registered trade marks of Post Office Ltd.

 

 

 

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Dear Mr Malhotra,

 

Ref: Freedom of Information Request – OOLO-8ZBJ2W

 

I am writing in response to your email received by Post Office Limited on
22 October 2012, which I am dealing with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.

 

In your email you have asked for information in two parts:

 

I would like to request a list of the companies you use as interim cover
for suspended post masters and details of the tender process they have to
go through to be placed on the list. An example company is Potent
Solutions.

 

I can advise that Post Office Ltd does hold the information you have
requested, but not in the format you have requested.

 

We do not appoint companies as temporary subpostmaster’s we only appoint
individuals, who the contract would be held by and who is liable
contractually as the temporary subpostmaster. If individuals chose to
create a company that is a matter of personal choice, therefore we would
not issue a contract in the name of Potent Solutions but it would be
issued to a named individual.

 

Your request also asks for the “tender process they have to go through”.
To become a temporary subpostmaster this is covered by the application
process information which I have provided below. The appointment of a
temporary subpostmaster is first considered by the suspended subpostmaster
to find a replacement subpostmaster, suitable to Post Office Ltd, to
negotiate a commercial deal, which Post office Limited are not party to. 

 

Post Office Ltd in a previous response to you (our ref: KFME-8Y4K7X)
supplied you with a Flow Chart which contained the procedure for arranging
a temporary agent following a suspension

 

I have provided below, details of the internal and application process
which the temporary subpostmaster has to go through to be considered for
the temporary position, this is not a tender process, they are as follows:

 

-          Suspended subpostmaster identifies possible temporary
subpostmasters – input is taken from a number of different stakeholders
and reference is also made to the database of temporary subpostmasters who
operate in the area

 

-          When remuneration details are received contact is made with
possible temporary subpostmasters and they are provided with details of
the branch. If interested they are encouraged to contact the suspended
subpostmaster.

 

The temporary subpostmaster negotiates with the suspended subpostmaster
for the use of the premises – this is a commercial arrangement made
between the suspended subpostmaster and the temporary subpostmaster which
Post Office Limited is not party to. 

 

-          Once terms are agreed between the temporary subpostmaster and
suspended subpostmaster for use of the premises, contract is issued for
signing by the temporary subpostmaster 

 

If the temporary Subpostmaster is one that has never been used before
additional steps are undertaken:-

 

-          Temporary Subpostmaster Advisor completes an interview pack and
completes internal checks and processes

 

-   Once the identification checks and internal processes are complete,
they then go through the vetting before an appointment can be made.

 

Who would we consider as a temporary Subpostmaster:-

 

-          Any temporary subpostmaster in position who will either be a
subpostmaster in their own right, have worked in a Post Office (Crown or
Agency) and have the ability to manage a branch i.e. they must have
experience.

 

 I would also kindly request that you send details of the standard terms
and conditions which are in place to cover this type of contract.

    

I can confirm that we do hold the information relating to your request,
please find attached the standard terms and conditions which cover this
type of contract, we have redacted individual names from the document;
Post Office Ltd relies on the exemption contained in section 40 (2) of the
Freedom of Information Act, concerning personal information, we believe
the disclosure of this information would contravene data protection
principles, and disclosing such information would be likely to breach the
principle of fair and lawful processing.

 

I hope the information I have provided on this occasion is useful. If you
are dissatisfied with the handling of this response, you do have a right
to request an internal review. You can do this by writing to the address
below stating your reasons for your internal review request.

 

Senior Engagement & Involvement Manager

Post Office Ltd

1^st Floor

Old Street Wing

148 Old Street

London

EC1V 9HQ

[1][email address]  

 

 

If, having requested an internal review by Post Office Limited, you are
still not satisfied with our response you also have a right of appeal to
the Information Commissioner at:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700

[2]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Kerry Moodie

Information Rights Team Leader

 

Post Office Ltd

1^st Floor

Old Street Wing

148 Old Street

London

EC1V 9HQ

Post Office Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered No.
2154540. Registered Office 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ. Post Office
and the Post Office logo are registered trademarks of Post Office Ltd.

 

 

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