Martin Hewitt is standing down as Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council next Spring.

A search will begin next month to find a successor to Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Martin Hewitt, who is entering the final phase of his of his time in charge.

The NPCC said: “Chairs can only hold the role for up to two terms - with two years per term - so we’re starting a recruitment process now.”

He became a national figure during lockdown by joining senior politicians and government scientists for live TV briefings on efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

He was appointed in April 2019 and was suddenly brought to national attention as the Gold Command for Op Talla, which oversaw policing's response to the pandemic.

He said: “An impressive skillset spanning across all of policing, and across the whole of the United Kingdom, supported this national response. Officers and staff did their work diligently throughout the pandemic, carrying on with the day job often in the face of unacceptable abuse and assault.

He added: “ All of policing stepped up to meet this challenge.”

So far, there is no word on his future plans and whether he will retire from policing.

The College of Policing revealed what happens next: "The NPCC will soon be advertising for a new Chair on a permanent basis. Expressions of interest open on Monday 29 August."

The NPCC is hosted by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) but independent of it. The NPCC Chair is therefore a serving officer in the MPS and has been employed on the same terms as an Assistant Commissioner.

The role comes with a salary of £194,523 plus a London weighting of £2,445 per annum and London Allowance of £1,011 per annum.

The NPCC Chair is also entitled to a car allowance of £10, 500 in line with the MPS policy for chief officer ranks. There is no provision of a car and driver.

Among the potential contenders to replace him is Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu who has just returned to the Metropolitan Police after a stint leading the Strategic Command Course.

His experience includes counter-terrorism work and he is still waiting to be assigned a role at the Met.

Another potential successor is Michelle Skeer, the Chief Constable of Cumbria, who the NPCC’s current Vice Chair.

Mr Hewitt began his policing career with Kent Police in 1993 and transferred to the Metropolitan Police Service in 2005.

As an Assistant Commissioner for five years, he led frontline and local policing, specialist crime and professional standards. He led the national police response to adult sexual offences and kidnap between 2014 and 2019, and served as a Vice-Chair for the NPCC from 2015 before taking on the chairmanship.

Sir Dave Thompson is also standing down as a Vice Chair when he retires from policing after this summer’s Commonwealth games.