The health of people in Waltham Forest could suffer after the borough received the biggest cut in ring-fenced government funding per person in London, it is claimed.

The council, which took over responsibility for public health last year, claims it is facing a £6.3million funding shortfall.

The authority was said to be in line to receive £68 per resident, or £18.6million a year, to encourage healthier living and raise awareness of conditions However, the authority said it was told this month it will receive £45 per person in 2015/16, taking the overall funding down to £12.27million.

The council has said no other borough in the capital has lost more than £3million, relative to population.

The council’s cabinet member for health, Cllr Ahsan Khan, has urged secretary of state for health, Jeremy Hunt, to review the funding allocation.

Cllr Khan said: “No other borough in London has a funding gap of more than £10 per head – our allocation falls short by £23 per head.

“Add to this the fact that a number of boroughs are currently receiving more funding than their target allocation and there’s no doubt that the system is not fair on Waltham Forest and needs changing.

“We would have a challenge to address all of the borough’s health issues even with the funding we’re supposed to get, so giving us even less has severe implications.

“Our community should not face missing out on the resources needed to improve public health outcomes because of ill-equipped funding arrangements that are in desperate need of review.”

Neighbouring borough Hackney is receiving £29.8million, or £117 per resident.

Meanwhile, boroughs like Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea have been allocated £133 per head, three times as much as Waltham Forest.

Cllr Khan added: “The current allocations of public health money will only serve to widen the health inequalities present across London.

Last year the Government agreed to increase the borough’s public health funding by about £2.6million.

Waltham Forest is in the ten most deprived boroughs in the capital.

Life expectancy for both men is six years lower than the national average and 6.6. years lower for women in the most deprived areas.

Infant mortality rates, obesity among children, smoking prevalence, recorded diabetes, incidence of tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections are significantly higher in the borough than the rest of the country.

Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer causing 24 per cent of premature deaths in people under 75.