A REPORT into the financial crisis gripping a North-East police force has been delayed.

The Audit Commission was hoping to finish its investigation this week and release details about the £7.3m black hole in the Cleveland Police budget.

Now, it could be next week at the earliest before the interim report is published and the findings of the independent inquiry are known.

In the meantime, Cleveland Police Authority chairman Ken Walker is maintaining his temporary resignation and resisting renewed calls to quit for good.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar told Coun Walker: "The buck stops at your desk."

Dr Kumar said: "I have said before that I think he should resign, and I repeat this again.

"Resignation is an action that recognises accountability and which I believe is needed for the restoration of public trust in the police authority."

The force was plunged into crisis in late-January when a huge budget deficit was discovered by Chief Constable Sean Price.

Coun Walker instigated three separate inquiries - by the force itself, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Audit Commission.

Mr Price has also drawn up a financial recovery plan, including cutting £1.5m from police overtime, which will be examined by the Audit Commission.

Dr Kumar said: "I, along with the general public of Teesside, await the report of the Audit Commission with interest. They start from an unbiased position.

"I feel that they will express their confidence in Sean Price, our chief constable, who, after all, has only been here a year, and in his financial recovery plan.

"I believe the financial failings go back a lot further than the past year alone, and I strongly suspect that their real roots are in previous management practices and in senior police managers.

"In the same way that a Government minister has to be responsible for actions taken by his or her civil servants, a chairman of a police authority has to act as the public face of accountability for the police force.

"In public life, the buck stops with the chairman of the police authority. He cannot wriggle out of this."

Audit Commission spokes-man John Hanlon said: "We were hoping the interim report would be published this week, but that is not going to be the case."