The National Federation of Subpostmasters (NFSP) has reached out to the minister responsible for the Post Office, urging a thorough look into the issues linked to the Ecco+ system. This system, which Crown branches relied on back in the 1990s for accounting automation, has been labeled “chronically unreliable” by a former senior executive at the Post Office.
In a letter to Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Business and Trade, NFSP CEO Calum Greenhow highlighted that some staff members at Crown branches faced dismissal or felt pressure to resign due to reported shortfalls from Ecco+. These branches were directly overseen by the Post Office, although some transitioned to being run by subpostmasters.
The spotlight intensified on the Post Office following the ITV dramatization of the Horizon scandal, which revealed the devastating fallout for subpostmasters accused of discrepancies. This led many affected by the earlier Capture system to come forward, prompting the government to take a closer look at these issues. An independent forensic analysis commissioned in May indicated that the system likely caused financial discrepancies, with some individuals facing prosecution long before the Horizon scandal broke.
In his correspondence, Greenhow urged the secretary of state to examine Ecco+. He mentioned that postmasters had shared troubling accounts of how flawed Ecco+ data harmed them and insisted this warranted investigation similar to what was done for the Capture system.
He pointed out that while fewer prosecutions arose from Ecco+ shortfall reports, the consequences still loomed large, with impacted users losing their jobs or being forced to resign. Moreover, with Crown branches shifting to staff ownership, potential buyers might be headed for significant financial losses due to the system’s failures.
Greenhow stressed the importance of addressing Ecco+ in light of the ongoing investigations into other systems. A spokesperson from the Department of Business and Trade confirmed receipt of the letter and indicated they were considering it.
Ecco+ was used until the early 2000s and served as a counter-based electronic point of sale system, storing information on floppy disks.
Rupert Lloyd Thomas, who spent 27 years in senior roles at the Post Office, expressed concerns about Ecco+ even in the 90s. He noted that by 1996, its unreliability was widely recognized, prompting the Post Office to initiate an investigation following his warnings. “It was a cheap and nasty system,” he said, adding his involvement in attempts to address its issues. He emphasized that Ecco+ deserves scrutiny just like the Capture system has received.
Howe & Co Solicitors, known for advocating justice for victims of the Horizon scandal, is working with NFSP to uncover how Ecco+ errors may have affected branch staff. David Enright from the firm stated that while the Post Office and government aim to enhance relations with some subpostmasters, there remain unresolved matters, including those tied to Ecco+.
When Computer Weekly inquired about Ecco+, the Post Office responded that it lacks immediate access to that information. They suggested submitting a freedom of information request, given that the topic dates back three decades.
The Post Office scandal first came to light through Computer Weekly in 2009, uncovering the troubling narratives of subpostmasters impacted by the Horizon software, leading to a significant miscarriage of justice in British history.