Building Safety Regulator appoints independent chair of Residents’ Panel

The Statutory Committee provides a formal way for the panel to share their views and experiences. This helps the BSR to understand the impact of its work and shapes the way it regulates HRBs.

Independent chair is a voluntary role and Kernick will serve in a personal capacity. She will lead the Residents’ Panel in providing independent advice and holding the BSR to account, helping to ensure that residents remain a fundamental part of the regulator’s work.

Kernick has worked with organisations in high-hazard industries for several decades now. This has afforded her extensive experience in terms of organisational culture, systemic change and the prevention of catastrophic events.

Importantly, Kernick was also a resident of Grenfell Tower between 2011 and 2014 and is the author of ‘Catastrophe and Systemic Change: Learning from the Grenfell Tower Fire and Other Disasters’.

At present, Kernick director of strategy and culture realisation at celebrated built environment consultancy Arup, where her work includes leading a global programme focused on safety culture.

Effective and proportionate

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO at the BSR, stated: “Residents are central to the building safety regime. Their experiences are essential in terms of helping us to build a regulatory system that’s effective, proportionate and concentrates on the people it exists to protect.”

Pugsley added: “I’m delighted to welcome Gill as independent chair of the Residents’ Panel and look forward to working with her and the Residents’ Panel as its constituent members help to shape and improve our work.”

Commenting on the appointment, Gill Kernick observed: “Residents bring a unique understanding of building safety through their everyday lived experience. By bringing this knowledge and insight together with technical expertise, we can help to create safer homes.”

Kernick concluded: “The Residents’ Panel provides an important opportunity to ensure that residents’ voices and expertise can meaningfully inform, challenge and refine the building safety regime.”