Albion director Martin Perry is set to swap the corporate box for the ballot box after it was announced that he will stand as a city councillor at the next election.

The football club executive will stand as a Labour candidate, challenging for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council.

Mr Perry said that he would look to use his experience in the private sector to drive forward the city’s economic agenda.

The decision on which council ward he will challenge for will be announced within the next six weeks.

The 66-year-old held the post of chief executive at the club for 15 years, and spearheaded the club’s move into the American Express Community Stadium and the creation of the new training ground at Lancing, which is set to open this summer.

Mr Perry, who said he has been a Labour Party member for “a very long time”, added: “You often hear frustration from the business community in Brighton that their needs are not fully understood.

“Having worked on the other side, it’s easier for me to put myself in their position and understand their needs and what their challenges are.

“I believe that I understand how local government works, having worked with councils for so long, and I believe that the economic agenda in Brighton needs driving forward and I think there is an opportunity where I can help.”

Labour leader Councillor Warren Morgan said: “Martin has an unequalled track record in delivering major projects like the American Express Community Stadium and will be an enormous asset to the Brighton and Hove Labour team taking on the Greens and Tories in next year’s local elections.

“His skills and experience will make him a formidable city councillor and his decision to stand for us shows we are a serious and credible alternative to the current council leadership.”

Conservative councillor Mary Mears said she expected that Mr Perry would be “shoehorned” into the relatively safe Labour seat of Moulsecoomb and Beven¬ dean.

Council leader Jason Kitcat said: “I think it is a positive if people feel they can contribute and it is important to get a broad range of candidates and backgrounds to stand for election.

“I am not sure what involvement Martin will have with the club at that time and he will need to be careful not to mix those two roles up.

“The council and the football club have different relationships as leaseholder and working together on the Rugby World Cup and he would need to be careful and I am sure he is experienced enough to know that.”