A NORTH Dean Road resident has been elected unopposed to represent Keighley's Guardhouse ward.

Emanuele Bernardini, who ran for election on a Labour ticket, was the only person to put himself forward for the vacant seat.

He said he would ideally have liked to have been tested in a contested election, but is now looking forward to being in a position to improve his neighbourhood.

Mr Bernardini, 42, is married with three children and has lived in Keighley for nearly 11 years.

He is the vice chairman of the Keighley wing of the Christian Association of Italian Workers and is also president of a branch of the COMITES group, which represents Italians living outside their country of origin.

He was born in Catania Sicily, and was living in Verona, Italy, before moving to Keighley.

Mr Bernardini works as an enablement co-ordinator for Bradford Enablement Support Team, which helps ill or disabled people maintain their independence and stay in their own homes.

Explaining why he wanted to become a councillor, Mr Bernardini said: "Not enough people are interested in politics. We're quick to criticise and to blame others but don't always put ourselves forward to try and improve things.

"People are on the town council as volunteers, because they want to do what they can to make the place where we live better.

"Up till now I've been doing this kind of work for the Italian community, but now I've got the opportunity to extend that to the whole of the community where I live.

"This is a challenge but an honour at the same time."

Problems he identified in his ward include blocked footpaths, litter, and social isolation amongst elderly people.

"Also, in my opinion, there are a lot of young people in the area who could achieve more in their lives if they believed in themselves and had someone who could support them," he said.