Barnet Group has appointed Laura Johnson to a senior property role, a decision that has triggered significant backlash from the Grenfell Tower survivor community. Johnson, the former Housing Director for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, will oversee development for the organization's 13,000 council homes.
A £157,078 salary for a controversial leadership role
The Barnet Group has confirmed that Laura Johnson will serve as the permanent director of development and property, earning an annual salary of £157,078. This appointment follows a period where Johnson served the organization on an interim basis before her permanent placement in August 2023 . The Barnet Group,which manages approximately 13,000 council homes across north London, is now at the center of a heated debate regarding the ethics of senior appointments in the public housing sector.
The cladding and fire-door decisions flagged by the inquiry
The controversy stems from Johnson's previous tenure as the Housing Director for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea during the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy. according to the report, an independent inquiry into the disaster found that Johnson had encouraged budget-cutting measures that directly impacted building safety. Specifically, she reportedly supported a change in contractors that resulted in the replacement of non-combustible metal cladding with cheaper, combustible , plastic-filled panels.
Furthermore, the inquiry noted that Johnson delayed the installation of critical fire-door mechanisms. These mechanisms are designed to automatically shut to prevent the spread of flames, yet their installation was postponed due to what the report describes as cost and logistical concerns. This delay occurred despite repeated warnings from the London Fire Brigade regarding the unsafe nature of the existing cladding system and the necessity of fire safety upgrades.
Ed Daffarn and the survivors' demand for justice
For those who lived through the fire, the appointment feels like a dismissal of the lessons learned from the tragedy. Ed Daffarn,a survivor who escaped from the 16th floor of the tower, described the decision as "absolutely outrageous." He argued that continuing to employ individuals involved in the disaster is deeply disrespectful to the families of the thirty-two residents who lost their lives.
This sentiment reflects a broader tension in the United Kingdom's housing management sector.. Many in the affected community argue that safety and accountability must be the primary metrics for leadership, rather than mere technical qualifications. The appointment has intensified calls for the government to implement a "no-return" policy, which would prevent individuals found responsible for systemic failures from holding senior positions in public housing again.
Will Barnet Group’s "strongest candidate" defense satisfy public trust?
In response to the outcry, the Barnet Group has defended its decision, stating that it was fully aware of the findings from the Grenfell inquiry during the recruitment process. The organization maintains that Johnson was the "strongest candidate" in a competitive field and was "legally eligible" to hold the position. A spokesperson for Barnet emphasized that the hiring process carefully weighed her references, qualifications, and professional experience.
However, several critical questions remain unanswered by the organization's defense.. First, how does the Barnet Group intend to rebuild trust with residents in a sector where fire safety remains a paramount concern? Second, will the organization address the specific moral implications raised by survivors, or will it rely solely on the legal eligibility of its staff? Finally, there is the question of whether this appointment will set a precedent for other housing authorities managing large portfolios of social housing across London.
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