Bob Kerslake

Bob Kerslake
Name	Kerslake
Birth date	1955-02-22
Birth place	Manchester
Death date	2023-01-30
Death place	London
Occupation	Civil servant, public administrator
Known for	Head of the Home Civil Service, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury

Bob Kerslake

Robert "Bob" Kerslake was a senior English civil servant and public administrator noted for leading the Home Civil Service and serving as Permanent Secretary to the HM Treasury. He directed high-profile reviews and chaired major public bodies, engaging with politicians from the Labour Party and the Conservative Party and institutions including the National Audit Office and the Local Government Association. His career spanned local government, national departments, and charity governance, with involvement in inquiries and reports that influenced policy across the United Kingdom.

Early life and education

Born in Manchester and raised in a family from the North West England region, Kerslake attended local schools before reading social studies at Newcastle University. He later qualified through professional development with links to institutions such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies and engaged with academic networks connected to London School of Economics, University College London, and research units aligned with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Early contacts included figures associated with Labour Party local government circles and municipal organisations like the Local Government Association.

Civil service career

Kerslake began his public service in local authority roles in London Borough of Haringey and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, progressing to senior posts at Sheffield City Council and other municipal bodies. He worked closely with leaders and councillors connected to the Labour Party and partnered with agencies such as the Audit Commission, the Office for National Statistics, and the National Audit Office. His trajectory brought him into national departments including Department for Communities and Local Government and engagements with ministers from administrations led by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Collaborative projects linked him to think tanks and agencies like the Institute for Public Policy Research, Centre for Cities, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Throughout his career he engaged with cross-departmental programmes involving the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Treasury Solicitor's Department. He worked on reforms connected to local government finance, interacting with legal and policy frameworks influenced by Acts of Parliament and consultations involving the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Head of the Home Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Treasury

Appointed Head of the Home Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury, Kerslake held senior responsibility during periods of fiscal consolidation overseen by Chancellors including George Osborne and political leadership involving David Cameron and Theresa May. In this capacity he liaised with external scrutiny bodies such as the National Audit Office and parliamentary select committees including the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Select Committee. His tenure involved coordination with senior officials from departments like the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education, and the Ministry of Defence.

Kerslake led reviews and advised prime ministers, interacting with figures from the Labour Party and the Conservative Party and with international counterparts connected to institutions such as the OECD and the European Commission. He emphasized public service leadership, engaging with union organisations including the Public and Commercial Services Union and stakeholder groups like the Local Government Association and the National Health Service executive structures.

Leadership at Somerset House Trust and other roles

After leaving the top civil service post, Kerslake chaired the Somerset House Trust and took roles with charities and housing bodies linked to national housing policy, cooperating with organisations such as the Shelter (charity), the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and the National Housing Federation. He was appointed to chair commissions and reviews, producing reports that referenced authorities including the National Health Service, the Local Government Association, and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

His later work included governance roles with boards that interacted with universities such as King's College London and cultural institutions like the British Museum and arts partners connected to Arts Council England. He engaged with economic and social research organisations, collaborating with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and policy centres such as the Resolution Foundation.

Honours and recognition

Kerslake received honours recognising his public service, holding appointments and awards associated with the Order of the Bath and other state recognitions conferred by Crests of State. His work was cited by public service commentators in outlets connected to commentators from The Guardian, The Times, and BBC News. Professional acknowledgement came from peers in the Civil Service and civic organisations including the Local Government Association, the National Audit Office, and think tanks such as the Institute for Government and the Institute for Public Policy Research.

Personal life and death

Kerslake's family life included partnerships and connections in Greater Manchester and London communities; he maintained links to civic networks in Sheffield and Barnsley. He continued to speak on public service and housing, appearing alongside figures from the Labour Party, charity leaders and policy experts from organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Resolution Foundation. He died in London in January 2023; his passing was noted by institutions including Somerset House, the Home Civil Service, and national media such as BBC News, The Guardian, and The Telegraph.

Category:1955 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Civil servants in the United Kingdom Category:People from Manchester