Laura Johnson leaves Barnet Group after appointment criticism — The Guardian

In the United Kingdom, Laura Johnson, who headed housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea before the Grenfell Tower fire, has left her position as director of development and property at Barnet Group. The company confirmed that Johnson no longer works for the organisation, The Guardian reports.

Johnson was appointed to the role in August with an annual salary of £157,078. Barnet Group manages 13,000 council homes in the London borough of Barnet. Families of those who died and people who survived the fire called the appointment “outrageous and disrespectful”.

Eamon McGoldrick, chair of Barnet Group's board, said in a letter to MP Joe Powell that the company understood the depth of feeling associated with the Grenfell Tower tragedy and recognised the legitimate public interest in the procedure for appointing senior executives. At the same time, he referred to the confidentiality of employment matters and did not specify the circumstances of Johnson's departure. The exact reason for the end of her work at Barnet Group is unknown.

Role before the fire

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 claimed the lives of 72 people. At the time of the tragedy, Johnson was director of housing in Kensington and Chelsea. During the subsequent inquiry, she was criticised for her role in cost-cutting decisions before the fire.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

According to the inquiry's findings, Johnson pressed for a new contractor to be brought in to refurbish the tower on a smaller budget. As a result, metal cladding was replaced with panels containing combustible plastic filler in order to save money.

Criminal proceedings

Powell, who represents Kensington and Bayswater, said that people criticised by the inquiry should not continue working in the housing sector while criminal investigations are ongoing.

Last month, London police asked prosecutors to consider bringing charges, including manslaughter and fraud, against 54 people and 20 companies and organisations in the case concerning the fire. The Crown Prosecution Service said that decisions on charges would be made by the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, 14 June 2027.