THE new chairman of Cleveland Police Authority is expected to meet the Home Secretary in the new year as he looks for assurances that the Government will meet the costs of a criminal investigation into the force.

Stuart Drummond, who is also Hartlepool mayor, is believed to be meeting Theresa May to raise concerns about the financial impact Operation Sacristy could have on the force if it has to cover the cost of the long-running investigation, which is in excess of £100,000 a month.

Earlier this month, a report before authority members recommended that £1.44m out of the force’s general reserves be set aside to meet the cost of the investigation for the 2011-12 budget.

The investigation is being conducted by 26 police officers from the North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire forces, and is led by Warwickshire Chief Constable Keith Bristow.

The authority has written to the Government requesting financial assistance, but was warned that it would need to make an application for a special grant.

Police Minister Nick Herbert said that he appreciated the pressure the investigation had placed on the force and the potential implications should costs escalate.

Mr Drummond, who is expected to meet the Home Secretary in person, has been criticised for taking on the role by some members of the town’s council.

However, he believes that he will be able to successfully manage both tasks.

He said: “I wouldn’t have taken it on if I didn’t think I could do both.

“They are similar roles in that you are leading public sector organisations with financial issues to tackle and I think there is a lot of crossover.

“There are some huge challenges with Cleveland Police and, first and foremost, we have to get a balanced budget ready for next year.”

Operation Sacristy is the criminal investigation into a number of people with current or past associations with Cleveland Police Authority and the manner in which the authority may have conducted some of its business.

In August, detectives arrested Cleveland’s Chief Constable Sean Price and Deputy Chief Constable Derek Bonnard, along with Caroline Llewellyn, the force’s former solicitor.

More recently, Councillor Dave McLuckie, who stood down in May as the chairman of the police authority, was also arrested.

All four are on bail until April and maintain they have done nothing wrong.