Author Profile

Abdool Kara

Abdool Kara

Abdool Kara is executive leader for local services at the National Audit Office and former chief execuitve of Swale BC

Articles by Abdool Kara

The importance of a wise intermediate layer

By Abdool Kara | 10 November 2020

Little has been written during the pandemic about the missing role of intermediate layers of gove...

Before reorganisation we need a clear view of the sector's core purpose

By Abdool Kara | 16 September 2020

How local government 'can sensibly be reorganised without a clear view of its core purpose (will ...

Let's think carefully about the best scale for delivering public services

By Abdool Kara | 20 July 2020

We have seen a lack of sophisticated thinking by Government about the level at which COVID-19 ini...

The COVID review is yet to come

By Abdool Kara | 27 May 2020

The NAO is being careful not to compromise the emergency response to COVID-19, but there will be ...

The sector has continued to benefit from Best Value

By Abdool Kara | 01 April 2020

Before COVID-19, Brexit, austerity and the recession came Best Value inspection - and the more ob...

Sizing up the efficiency problem

By Abdool Kara | 05 February 2020

If delivering efficiency is a driver for local government there are reasons to believe there may ...

We need a sector-wide perspective on PWLB rate increase

By Abdool Kara | 19 November 2019

The sector might ask itself if a 'small' rate increase in the cost of loans from the Public Works...

Extracting more value from local audit

By Abdool Kara | 24 September 2019

Abdool Kara says the sharper focus on value for money and the expectation of clearer, more timely...

Reducing the risks from transition

By Abdool Kara | 24 July 2019

The May local elections returned significant numbers of new councillors including new single issu...

Cliffs, knives and U2

By Abdool Kara | 28 May 2019

Abdool Kara is not sure that falling over or off cliffs is the right metaphor for what we could s...