Councils in the south east have warned they are facing a ‘demographic time bomb' which could put a strain on services. New figures released by East Sussex CC revealed the county has the highest proportion of residents aged over 85 in England, and also ranks second for the percentage of people over 65. ‘These latest figures confirm that we are facing a demographic time bomb as the proportion of very elderly residents continues to rise and hence more people will need services such as meals in the community,' said East Sussex CC assistant director (policy), Alistair Robson. Members of Brighton and Hove City Council warned they have a rising number of older council tennants who need adaptations to their properties. ‘We have to work with limited resources with limited resources and rising demand which is why it is essential that we develop a robust and transparent policy,' said housing committee chairman, Cllr Mary Mears. Derby City Council leader Chris Williamson has demanded the Government make changes to the annual grant formula. Cllr Williamson said the grant was recalculated in 2005, but the city council has still not seen any extra money.