Former Grenfell Tower housing chief leaves north London council role after backlash

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A former Grenfell Tower housing chief has left her role at Barnet Homes after only being appointed in August.

Laura Johnson was the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at the time of the 2017 Grenfell fire, which led to 72 people losing their lives.

Ms Johnson was criticised for her role in budget-cutting decisions before the fire and a public inquiry found she had pushed for a new contractor to carry out the tower’s renovation works on a lower budget.

This meant instead of metal cladding, combustible plastic-filled panels were installed in a bid to save on costs.

Laura Johnson was director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 2017Grenfell Tower InquiryAlmost a decade after the tragic fire, Ms Johnson was appointed as the director of development and property at the Barnet Group – which manages the north London borough’s some 14,000 council homes.

News of her appointment was met with backlash from bereaved families and survivors of the tragedy in west London.

Barnet Homes has now confirmed Ms Johnson is “no longer employed by The Barnet Group”. The Standard has approached Ms Johnson for comment.

Previously, Barnet Homes had said Ms Johnson was the “strongest candidate” for the £157,078 a year position.

The home management organisation said in a statement to the BBC: “In common with any employer, we owe obligations of confidentiality to those working for us, applying for, or being considered for any role at any level. For that reason, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

72 people were killed in the fireAFP/GettyMs Johnson joined Barnet Homes in 2024 in a different role, but was promoted to the senior position in September.

Her departure comes just weeks after the Metropolitan Police announced it had referred 54 individuals and 20 companies to the Crown Prosecution Service as part of its investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire.

One of the bodies being investigated is Kensington and Chelsea Council, which has been referred for possible offences including corporate manslaughter and fire and heath and safety breaches.

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Responding to the announcement of her departure, Grenfell United – a community group of bereaved families and survivors from the fire – said Johnson’s appointment by The Barnet Group had been “a scandal”.

A spokesperson said: “It is an outrage that such damning findings have done nothing to stop them being entrusted with public safety.

“More than nine years after Grenfell, it should not take bereaved families and survivors campaigning for a housing organisation to take the Inquiry’s findings seriously.”

“This does not end with Johnson. Others whose conduct was singled out by the Grenfell Tower public inquiry continue to hold positions of authority, have responsibility for health and safety, and draw large salaries.

“The inquiry’s findings are there for everyone to read, yet those criticised continue their careers as though nothing has happened. It is an outrage that such damning findings have done nothing to stop them being entrusted with public safety” the spokesperson added.

The Grenfell Tower Memorial Wall near the site of the Grenfell Tower in west LondonPAGiving evidence at at the public inquiry, Johnson admitted she would have done things differently.

“Of course, if only we had more due diligence in relation to the cladding that was placed on the tower.

“The list is endless because you would never want anything of this type of thing to happen. It’s just awful. Of course I look back and think what could I have done different to make sure this didn’t happen.”