Lord Kerslake, the chief executive of Sheffield City Council who rose to become permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government and then head of the civil service, has died aged 68.
Bob Kerslake, who served as an adviser to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party after he left the civil service, was also chair of Peabody since 2015.
Ian McDermott, chief executive at Peabody, said: “This is incredibly sad news, and all our thoughts are with Bob’s family at this difficult time.
“Those who knew him were truly inspired by his exceptional talent, strong work ethic, and above all, his humanity and kindness. He was a remarkable individual, and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to know him over the past two years. His absence will be deeply felt within Peabody and across the UK.
“We will do everything we can to honour Bob’s memory and to support our colleagues and friends in the weeks and months to come.”
Kerslake’s term as chair of Peabody was due to end in 2024. Vice-chair Ravi Rajagopal will become acting chair in the short-term, as a recruitment process to appoint a permanent successor was already under way.
Before joining the civil service Kerslake ran the Homes and Communities Agency, which would later morph into Homes England.
He was president of the Local Government Association from 2015 to 2021.
He was made a cross-bench peer in 2016 and had been knighted in 2005 for services to local government, having led a prominent role in the regeneration of Sheffield.
From the archives: The EG Interview: Lord Kerslake on inclusive growth
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