Robin Porter Appointed as Chair of Lampton Group

Hounslow look to former head of Luton Council to turn around subsidiary

Former British Army officer Robin Porter was at Luton for 17 years

April 29, 2025

Hounslow Council has appointed the former Chief Executive of Luton Council to be the Group Chair of the Lampton Group its wholly owned subsidiary.

Robin Porter, a former British Army Officer who has also worked in project finance, will take up the role this May and has been tasked with fostering a unified Lampton Group structure and enhancing its commercial operations.

He worked at Luton for 17 years, becoming Chief Executive in May 2019. Before that he held a number of roles including Deputy Chief Executive; Director of Transformation; and Chief Operations Officer for London Luton Airport Limited.

He was instrumental in advancing the "Luton 2040" initiative, which sought to eradicate poverty and promote inclusive growth. Council leader Hazel Simmons praised his "bold leadership" in tackling inequalities and steering the organisation through crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and financial pressures .

Under his guidance, projects like the Hat Gardens pocket park transformed underutilised spaces into community hubs. The park's success led to increased town centre footfall and garnered national recognition, winning the 'Project of the Year' award at the National Building Construction Awards in 2023 .

Mr Porter played a key role in the development of London Luton Airport and was recognised in 2016 as one of CIPFA’s Public Finance Top 50 Trailblazers for leading the council’s innovative property investment strategy .

However, like many local authorities the council faced a significant overspend in adult social care, rising from £2.6 million to £6.7 million within a quarter in 2024. In 2024, external auditors Ernst & Young issued a public interest report criticising the council's financial reporting culture. Porter disputed the report, labelling it "unprofessional" and asserting that the issues were being addressed .

The Lampton Group faces significant financial challenges. .In the 2024/25 financial year, the group reported a £12 million loss, leading to criticism from opposition councillors who attributed this to mismanagement. These losses are projected to fall to £0.8million in the current financial year after a series of cuts and revenue enhancements were implemented including increased service charges.

Mr Porter replaces Martin Cresswell who stepped down from the role in September 2024 to become non-executive Chair at the same time that Alan Townshend became Interim Group Managing Director and Robert Overall became Interim Group Chair.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Porter said, “I’m delighted to be joining Lampton Group. Throughout my career I have led in roles where the organisation cares and is passionate about making a difference and Lampton is firmly in that mould.

“Lampton delivers services that meet essential community needs and seeks to create financial value that can be reinvested in supporting Hounslow’s environmental, housing, and community goals through innovative approaches to local government operations.”

Robert Overall said, “Robin brings a wealth of commercial experience, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to public service. His leadership has consistently driven positive change, and I have no doubt that his passion and expertise will be invaluable in this role. He understands the power of collaboration, innovation and stability in delivering meaningful outcomes, and I look forward to seeing the impact he will make.”

The Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, said, “We are delighted that Robin is joining the Hounslow family, and by the commitment, experience, ideas and approaches he brings.

“In recent years Lampton has evolved significantly to deliver quality environmental and housing services, leisure and wellness facilities to residents across the borough on behalf of Hounslow Council. Robin brings exactly the qualities and skills Lampton needs as it faces a new chapter and an exciting stage of development.”