But yesterday, the former Labor councillor moved back into the spotlight, announcing his intention to run for Wollongong lord mayor.

The 47-year-old media consultant was among 12 councillors sacked in 2008 after an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry found evidence of systemic corruption.

Like many others, Mr Brown had no involvement in the scandal.

Yesterday the North Wollongong man said he was ready to join the council afresh.

"That incident was just so out of the ordinary and stunning that … it took a number of years to get over it.

"I felt so disillusioned about the nature of public affairs.

"But stepping back a lot focuses you on the bigger picture, which is that individuals are not important. It is policies and plans that are important."

Mr Brown served on the council from 2002 to 2008. He will also run as a Ward 2 councillor.

The ALP is yet to announce whether it will run a ticket at the September poll.

Mr Brown conceded the city's recent political history meant it was "not a good climate for Labor candidates", but said he would be happy to run under the party banner. Otherwise, he will run as an independent.

He said the September 3 poll would lay the foundations for Wollongong's revival.

"Wollongong is a great place to live and I want to play an active role in shaping the city's identity into the future," Mr Brown said.

"The greatest challenge for the Gong is deciding what sort of community we want to be in a generation's time."

The new council must stop Wollongong becoming a dormitory suburb of Sydney and halt the outflow of young, skilled workers, he said.

"Planning instruments and public works … must be calibrated to promote a liveable and vibrant city, with opportunities for new enterprises supporting jobs in the evolving service and digital-economy sectors," he said.

He described his view on development as "balanced", unlike other candidates who were "strongly pro-development or radically opposed to development, despite what they might say."

Mr Brown called for a "back to basics" approach to council activity, with a new focus on footpath weed removal, streetscaping and park maintenance.

He joins four other mayoral hopefuls to emerge so far.