POLICE authority officials have been criticised over a "black hole" in force finances.

Cleveland Police Authority chairman Ken Walker has warned that there was likely to be a £1.8m shortfall in finances next year.

But Stockton Borough Council leader Bob Gibson said there was no excuse for the shortfall after the police received an extra £2.4m from Cleveland council tax payers earlier this year.

He said: "Within only six months of setting a budget of 38 per cent increase, the Cleveland Police Authority are now telling us that there is a £1.8m deficit. I find this statement absolutely astounding.

"Six months ago I wrote and asked the Minister David Blunkett (Home Secretary) to set up an independent inquiry into the running of Cleveland Police's finances and was told it wasn't necessary. Yet here we are with the begging bowl out again and warning us to expect precept rises on a par with last year. It simply beggars belief. The sooner someone rescues the rate payers from this the better."

Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, David Walsh, said he would back the police authority with any representations to the Home Office to request more money.

But he said the authority should make internal savings possibly by cutting the cost of senior management, ceding jobs to civilian workers, bringing in other public sector and private sector bodies and he asked if there had been a full implementation of previous cost-cutting recommendations.

However, Mr Walker said the authority had already made £500,000 of efficiency savings. He blamed the way police pensions are funded for the spiralling costs.