Bev Thomas

Bev Thomas is an Adviser in the Local Government Association’s Procurement and Commissioning team, supporting councils and wider public sector organisations to strengthen procurement practice and implement procurement reform effectively. She is a recognised subject matter expert in public procurement, commissioning, service transformation and stakeholder engagement.

As the LGA’s lead contact between local government and the Cabinet Office on Transforming Public Procurement, Bev works closely with councils to support implementation of the Procurement Act 2023. Her role includes promoting national learning and development initiatives, sharing best practice across the sector, and providing intelligence and feedback to government on emerging challenges and opportunities.

Bev also leads elements of the LGA’s sector support offer, including procurement peer reviews, benchmarking activity linked to the National Procurement Strategy for Local Government, and professional networks for children’s and adult social care procurement and commissioning. In addition, she leads the construction category within the LGA’s Strategic Market: Insight Relationships Programme.

Before joining the LGA in 2023, Bev spent 30 years working in local government and further education, holding commissioning, relationship management and service improvement roles. Her experience spans district and London borough councils, where she led service redesign and transformation programmes and managed functions including procurement, contract management, policy and performance, best value, quality assurance, partnership working and advice services.

Bev is a Member of the Institute of Leadership (MIoL), holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Management (PgCert), and is a qualified careers adviser (DipCG).