Press release -
Post Office appoints new Non-Executive Director to Board
- New Board sub-Committee established to direct Historical Remediation programmes
Post Office has appointed to its Board a new Non-Executive Director, Ben Tidswell.
Mr Tidswell will Chair the Post Office’s Historical Remediation Committee, established to direct actions to address past failures. The Committee’s remit includes overseeing Post Office schemes providing compensation for postmasters affected.
Last year, Post Office established the Historical Shortfalls Scheme (HSS) for Postmasters who may have experienced shortfalls related to previous versions of Horizon. The scheme has received around 2,500 applications with around 450 claims settled.
Separately, for individuals whose convictions have been overturned where Horizon evidence was essential to the prosecution, Post Office is expediting interim payments of up to £100,000. This was announced last month following Government agreement to funding and payments are being offered whilst final compensation arrangements are established.
The Committee will also decide Post Office’s position in future appeals by people seeking to have convictions overturned in the Courts, with careful consideration of each individual case including in the light of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in April this year.
Ben Tidswell’s appointment to the Post Office Board is for a three-year term. Mr Tidswell is a lawyer and has spent most of his legal career at Ashurst, a global law firm with 29 offices in 17 countries. He retired from Ashurst at the end of July 2021, after 21 years as a partner and the last eight years as the firm’s Global Chairman. In his career, he has been involved in a wide range of complex and high value disputes across several sectors, including financial services, retail and technology. In June 2021, he took up an appointment as a part time, fee paid Panel Chairman in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the UK's specialist competition court.
Chairman of Post Office, Tim Parker, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Ben to the Post Office Board. The depth of his legal experience, including the resolution of disputes, will help Post Office to deliver fair redress efficiently as we compensate those impacted by historical failures.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ben Tidswell said:
“I am pleased to have been appointed to the Board as the Post Office implements its strategy to become a commercially sustainable and sought-after franchise with Postmasters at the centre of its business. For this to happen, it must fairly and transparently resolve issues of the past and I am looking forward to playing my part in helping Post Office to achieve this.”
The members of the Historical Remediation sub-Committee are Ben Tidswell (Chair), Zarin Patel and Tom Cooper.
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About the Post Office
- With over 11,500 branches, Post Office has the biggest retail network in the UK, with more branches than all the banks and building societies combined.
- Post Office is helping anyone who wants cash to get it whichever way is most convenient. Partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit unions means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
- Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office; and the biggest investment by any organisation or company in the last decade is being made to safeguard 1,400 free-to-use ATMs across the UK.
- Post Office is simplifying its proposition for Postmasters with a focus on itscash and banking; mails and parcels; foreign exchange; andbill paymentsservices.
- Researchhas found that visits to the Post Office help drive another 400 million visitors to other shops, restaurants and local businesses equating to an estimated £1.1 billion in additional revenue for High Street businesses.
- 99.7% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office; and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.
