Latest news with #NigelRailton
Telegraph
22-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Post Office admits Horizon scandal staff are compensating victims
The Post Office has admitted that staff linked to wrongful prosecutions of postmasters are still working in a department which compensates victims of the scandal. Chairman Nigel Railton has acknowledged three so-called 'past roles employees' remain employed in the organisation's remuneration unit. It came after the chair of the advisory board for compensating victims said how postmasters had been left 'deeply distressed' after encountering certain members of staff. The Telegraph can reveal one employee was involved in the mediation scheme case of Lee Castleton, a former postmaster bankrupted as a result of civil action taken against him by the Post Office. More than 900 former sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted as a result of the Horizon scandal, when faulty Fujitsu software incorrectly recorded shortfalls on their accounts. A public inquiry into the scandal is expected to produce its first report in the coming weeks, which will focus on the human impact of the scandal and the ongoing process of financial redress. Though various schemes were set up to compensate victims, Sir Alan Bates and others have criticised them for taking too long and for offering payouts far smaller than some have claimed for. The majority of the schemes – including the one set up to pay out Sir Alan and more than 500 others who took legal action against the Post Office – are now administered by the Government. However, the Post Office continues to run the Horizon Shortfall Scheme for victims who were neither wrongfully convicted nor involved in the High Court Case. Last month, The Telegraph revealed a former Post Office auditor who visited branches with suspected shortfalls, was, until recently, employed within the unit. And earlier this month, Christopher Hodges, chair of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, wrote to Mr Railton to express his concerns about staff who had roles linked to historic cases linked to the scandal. 'The issue is the ongoing involvement in redress and appeals work of Post Office staff who are perceived as having earlier been involved in the scandal,' he said. 'We continue to hear reports from victims who have met such staff in compensation meetings, and who find it deeply distressing and inappropriate.' 'No conflict' In a letter in response, Mr Railton said that as far as its 'analysis' showed, it had 'no employees working on redress who are in a position of actual conflict'. Mr Railton said some individuals who worked for Post Office while postmasters were being wrongfully prosecuted were employed in the Remediation Unit when it was set up. He then said the Post Office 'quickly acknowledged' that this gave rise to 'perceived conflict' particularly in the case of those who worked in roles 'even loosely connected with historic prosecutions' – known as 'past roles employees'. While the chair said the Post Office had 'taken steps to remove' these staff, he said the organisation was anxious that as these individuals hadn't been accused of wrongdoing, they were to be treated fairly and that the process should not 'slow down the pace of redress'. 'Leaving at the earliest opportunity' Mr Railton then added: 'As at the date of your last meeting (at which the oral update was given), we were in a position to report that all but two Past Roles Employees had been redeployed from the Remediation Unit (and many had left the business altogether), and that discussions were ongoing with the remaining two individuals with a view to their leaving Post Office. 'Since then, one further individual has been identified and the team is working towards their leaving Post Office too at the earliest opportunity.' One individual who continues to be employed within the unit is Shirley Hailstones, who is not accused of wrongdoing. Documents shown to the inquiry show Ms Hailstones gave feedback on a defence drafted on the Post Office's behalf in relation to victims' cases. And Ms Hailstones was also previously involved in the mediation case of Mr Castleton, who was portrayed by Will Mellor in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Mr Castleton was ultimately told he would not be able to take part in the scheme and that his only option would be to take his case to court. The inquiry was shown emails from forensic accountant Ron Warmington and Ms Hailstones, a Post Office case review manager, sent in November 2013, discussing potential links between faults at different Post Office branches. Ms Hailstones did not copy-in former sub-postmasters Mr Castleton and Sir Alan to her email, before she shared it with then-Post Office irrelevant Angela van den Bogerd and said: 'This interaction in my view should not be widely circulated.' Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Castleton said: 'It's entirely irrelevant whether any of these people are guilty of wrongdoing or not. 'From the perspective of former sub-postmasters, anybody working at the Post Office in that era will be tainted – it's the optics. They need to be removed.' A Post Office spokesman said: 'We do not comment on individual employment matters. 'We can confirm, as per our letter to the Advisory Board that has been published, there are three individuals leaving the Post Office at the earliest opportunity.'
Sky News
04-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Post Office weighs asset sales or borrowing to meet postmaster pay target
The Post Office is considering selling assets or taking on new borrowings to help deliver an ambition to boost sub-postmasters' pay by £120m this year, its chairman has said. Sky News has learnt that Nigel Railton, who was confirmed as the state-owned company's long-term chair last week, told thousands of branch managers that it had ring-fenced £86m so far to increase their remuneration. In a speech delivered in Chesterfield, Mr Railton is understood to have told sub-postmasters that the Post Office's board was redoubling its efforts to meet the target of up to £120m for pay rises. The company was exploring options including additional cost-savings, further asset sales, sale-and-leaseback opportunities, and borrowing options, he told them. One source said Mr Railton had said on Wednesday morning that without actions already taken by Post Office management, sub-postmasters would be left with pay increases this year of just 2%, rather than the 20% it had now secured. The progress towards its £120m target comes just three months after the Post Office chairman was forced to deliver a bleaker prognosis to thousands of sub-postmasters keen to have their faith restored in the scandal-hit company. In March, Mr Railton said he had yet to gain certainty from Whitehall about a £120m increase for this year. 3:06 "Our funding discussions are positive and ongoing, but I want to be honest that we are operating in a challenging financial environment," he told them at the time. The Post Office is reliant on funding from the government, and last November outlined plans for an ambitious transformation of its business, which includes a substantial number of job cuts. It remains hopeful of making up the £34m shortfall to reach its £120m target, according to insiders, as it seeks to rebuild its public and internal reputation in the aftermath of the Horizon IT scandal.
Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Times
Currency trader learns hard lesson
So that's what you call 'a global expert in currency risk management': an outfit that takes four days to implode from a market value of £52 million to a £3 million rescue takeover. And all, apparently, because of Donald Trump. What is this company, you ask? The Aim-listed Argentex, the self-styled 'debt-free, cash-rich business', operating as a 'riskless principal broker for non-speculative commercial currency transactions'. Do note 'cash-rich' and 'riskless'. Despite such claims all over its comedy website, it has wound up skint: news that appears to have been as big a shock to the useless board, chaired by the ex-Camelot UK lottery chief Nigel Railton, as to its luckless shareholders. Here's the short version of events, as relayed in a series of gruesome updates
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Post Office to offload two Glasgow branches
The last two remaining directly-owned branches of the Post Office in Glasgow are to be offloaded to franchisees by the autumn. The Post Office announced today (Tuesday, April 8) that following a board decision, it is moving to a fully franchised network. The branches at 136 West Nile Street in the city centre and 230 Springburn Way in Springburn are among the last 108 in the UK directly owned and run by the company to be franchised. The Post Office stressed that those communities that currently have a directly-managed branch will continue to be able to access their services either at, or near to, the same location. It also said that it will work with franchise partners with a clear track record of successfully running Post Office services or similar customer-focused retail to ensure communities in these 108 locations will "continue to receive a high quality of service once their directly-managed branch is franchised.' The news follows the Post Office's announcement last November of its five-year Transformation Plan to deliver a 'New Deal for Postmasters'. The Post Office said the plan, which is subject to government funding, will increase postmaster renumeration by an additional £250 million a year by 2030. Nigel Railton, Post Office chair, said: 'Moving to a fully franchised network is one part of enabling the Post Office to deliver a 'New Deal for Postmasters', helping to create a long-term, sustainable future for the Post Office. 'By franchising these branches, we are protecting access to our services for communities right across the UK and realising £40 million worth of savings that will enable us to uplift postmasters' remuneration by up to 10%. 'Over the coming months, we will continue to work with our unions to ensure that we treat our staff working in these 108 branches with care and respect through this transition, consulting with them on proposed changes. 'The 108 Post Offices will either stay in the same location where possible or be located close to the existing location, meaning customers will continue to have access to a full suite of products and services.'
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
About 1,000 workers at risk as Post Office plans to offload 108 branches
The Post Office has said it plans to offload its last remaining directly owned branches, putting around 1,000 workers at risk. It confirmed that 108 crown branches, which are currently directly owned and run by the company, will be handed over to franchisees by the autumn. The process could see the sites taken over by large franchising businesses or postmasters themselves. It is understood the Post Office expects the majority of these branches to continue running at their current sites, but that some of these could face closure as franchises are moved to different premises, affecting staff. The Post Office stressed that communities affected 'will continue to be able to access Post Office services either at, or near to, the same location'. The move is part of efforts by the Post Office to generate cash to help it increase pay for postmasters. It comes after the organisation, which has undergone a significant overhaul since the impact of the Horizon IT scandal when hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongfully convicted, announced a review of the branches late last year. Around 1,000 workers are employed across the branches. The Post Office said the plan, which is subject to Government funding, will help it to increase postmaster remuneration by an extra £250 million a year by 2030. Post Office chairman Nigel Railton said: 'Moving to a fully franchised network is one part of enabling the Post Office to deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, helping to create a long-term, sustainable future for the Post Office. 'By franchising these branches, we are protecting access to our services for communities right across the UK and realising £40 million worth of savings that will enable us to uplift postmasters' remuneration by up to 10%.'
