Laura Johnson, who was the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) during the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, has been appointed as the permanent director of development and property at The Barnet Group, which manages approximately 13,000 council homes in the London borough of Barnet. Her appointment, with an annual salary of £157,078, follows a period working in the role on an interim basis.
Johnson’s role in the Grenfell Tower refurbishment came under scrutiny in the public inquiry into the disaster. The inquiry found that she advocated for cost reductions during the renovation, which included replacing non-combustible metal cladding with combustible plastic-filled panels. The inquiry also highlighted delays she made in installing self-closing mechanisms on fire doors, citing financial and practical reasons, despite warnings from the London Fire Brigade that the absence of these safety features compromised fire escape routes.
The decision to appoint Johnson permanently has drawn criticism from Grenfell survivors and bereaved relatives. Ed Daffarn, a survivor who escaped the 16th floor and had previously raised concerns about fire safety, described the appointment as “an absolutely outrageous decision.” He expressed frustration that, while survivors have not yet received justice nearly nine years after the tragedy, those involved in senior decision-making roles during the refurbishment continue to hold influential positions in the social housing sector. Daffarn added that if he were a resident of Barnet council housing, he would feel “petrified.”
Grenfell United, the organisation representing survivors and bereaved families, called on The Barnet Group—owned by Barnet council—to reconsider the appointment. The group argued that the decision displayed “a staggering disregard for the inquiry’s findings” and insisted that no individual named in the Grenfell inquiry should occupy positions of authority while criminal proceedings remain unresolved.
The Metropolitan Police are currently pursuing charges against 57 individuals and 20 companies related to the fire, with the Crown Prosecution Service anticipating decisions on prosecutions by June 2027, the tenth anniversary of the disaster. Neither the police nor the authorities have publicly named those under investigation.
A spokesperson for The Barnet Group stated that Johnson was selected through a competitive and openly advertised recruitment process and was considered the strongest candidate based on her professional experience, references, qualifications, and overall suitability. The spokesperson acknowledged awareness of the Grenfell inquiry findings but emphasized that they were carefully considered during the hiring process. The spokesperson also stressed that the safety and wellbeing of residents remain the organisation’s top priority and declined to comment on matters related to Johnson’s previous employment.
The appointment has reopened debate about accountability and leadership in social housing management nearly a decade after one of the UK’s deadliest residential fires.