About 6,000 new jobs need to be created in Brighton and Hove by 2014, according to a new report.

Brighton and Hove City Council has set out the ambitious target to maintain existing employment levels of 71.6%. The proposal is set out in a document prepared for the enterprise, employment and major projects cabinet member meeting.

Business leaders have backed the plans and said they believe the scheme is deliverable. However, they say it will “require an amount of political will to deliver it”.

The council believes the city can capitalise on its existing strengths to create the new jobs.

A council spokesman said: “Brighton and Hove is relatively well placed coming out of the recession.

“We will need to capitalise on city strengths – including two resident universities, an international brand, and a strong digital/freelance economy to achieve the required jobs growth.

“Brighton and Hove City Council has set up a City Employment and Skills Steering Group, chaired by Phil Frier of City College Brighton and Hove, to co-ordinate projects that improve our residents’ skills and job prospects, unlock the barriers our local businesses face in growing and harnessing the city’s strong entrepreneurial spirit to help create new businesses across a range of sectors.”

The council document is vague on details of how the jobs will be created.

It states: “It is not clear where the new jobs will be in the post-recession economy. However, the Coast to Capital LEP proposal places a strong emphasis on exporting businesses; the city council has identified environmental industries as a priority sector for support; and the Business Retention and Inward Investment Strategy suggests that food and drink manufacturing, retail, digital media, the creative industries and financial services, and high technology manufacturing should be the main focus.”

Mark Froud, chief executive at Sussex Enterprise, the county’s chamber of commerce, backed the council’s goal.

He said: “We believe the creation of at least 6,000 new jobs by 2014 is deliverable. “The city’s track record of creating private sector jobs is strong, compared with several other towns and cities.”

Tony Mernagh, chief executive at the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “This is a good plan but it will require an amount of political will to deliver it. We need more top notch employment space and anything to do with development and planning in a city with very little free space is always controversial.”

The meeting will take place at 4pm today at Hove Town Hall.

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