Director who oversaw Grenfell cost-cutting given senior council housing role

Grenfell Tower fire survivors and relatives have condemned the appointment of a former council housing director linked to cost-cutting measures at the time of the disaster, calling for a reconsideration of her new senior role. The woman, who previously oversaw housing at the borough where the 2017 fire occurred, has been hired for a high-paying position managing thousands of council homes in another area. Critics argue the decision is deeply controversial, given her involvement in policies that survivors say contributed to the tragedy. The move has reignited debates over accountability and reform in public housing management.

Fire survivors and bereaved urge Barnet Group to ‘reconsider’ appointment of Laura Johnson, who pushed for cheaper contractorGrenfell survivors and bereaved relatives have criticised the “outrageous decision” to hire a director who oversaw cost-cutting at Grenfell Tower in a £150,000-a-year senior council housing role.Laura Johnson, the director of housing at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) at the time of the 2017 Grenfell fire, has been appointed the permanent director of development and property at the Barnet Group, which manages the borough’s 13,000 council homes. Continue reading...