More needs to be done to increase the number of wellpaid jobs in Brighton and Hove, an influential business body has claimed.

According to the Brighton and Hove Economic Forum, there are “too many PhD students serving cappuccinos” in the city.

The comments were made in a report titled Raising Our Game, which forms a draft strategy for the city’s economy between now and 2016.

Tony Mernagh, chief executive of the Forum, believes the key to attracting well-paid jobs into the city lies with businesses working more closely with Brighton and Sussex universities.

He said: “Our average wage at the bottom of the labour market is on par with the national average but at the top end we are way behind.

“That is why 33,000 people leave the city each day and go north to work in those better paid jobs.

“To raise the value of the work the city can offer we must realise that knowledge-based industries are the new big thing.

“We have two very good universities willing to work with firms but businesses do not know about the opportunities that are out there.”

Bob Allison, pro-vice chancellor for research at the University of Sussex, who sits on the Economic Forum, said: “We at the universities have a major role to play in supporting the economic development of the city.”

Mr Allison pointed to the Useability lab, which offers games companies the latest testing technology, and the Innovation Centre, based in the university’s Falmer campus, as two examples of how it currently supports Brighton’s economy.

He said: “There are more than 70 companies incubated at the Innovation Centre at the moment and some of those could become major employers when they are ready.

“What we need to do is work with Brighton and Hove City Council so that when these companies are ready to leave there is space available for them and they don’t need to move north to Crawley or London.”

Councillor Ted Kemble, cabinet member for enterprise, employment and major projects, said: “In terms of knowledge-based sectors we need to build on what we have already achieved within the leisure and hospitality industries, the creative industries and emerging sectors such as green technologies.”

Coun Kemble said recent examples of the council working to attract major employers to the city include convincing Disney and Linden Labs, creator of Second Life, to locate to Brighton.

He said: “We worked with (digital media support organisation) Wired Sussex and met the companies several times to put forward the case for working in the city. Then we gave them practical help to find the right commercial premises and forge links with the universities so they could find well-qualified staff.”

One area which Brighton and Hove must improve on is the availability of modern office space.

Coun Kemble added: “We need to work with landlords to get the stock of commercial property to the standard expected by potential tenants.”

Visit www.brightonbusiness.co.uk/htm/ni20081207.377912.html to view the draft economic strategy in full.