A KEIGHLEY town councillor has been selected to contest Keighley East Ward for the UK Independence Party.

John Kirby, who works as a bus driver, has represented the town council’s Laycock and Braithwaite Ward since he was co-opted as an independent in May 2014.

He has confirmed as well as standing for Keighley East in May he will seek re-election to his town council seat as a UKIP councillor.

“Keighley East needs someone who will go out to all the people living there, not just sit in City Hall,” he said.

“I won’t be waiting for people to come to me, I’ll go to them. No matter what their complaint is, no matter how small it might be.”

Mr Kirby has lived locally all his life and is now based in Mytholmes.

“I’ve been a bus driver for 13 years so I get to know a lot about what people think and say,” he added.

“As a town councillor, I’ve learned you have to listen to and respect the people. Their concerns are my concerns.”

Issues he intends to get to grips with include the threat to Keighley Police Station and town centre traffic.

He said: “I’d like to see an Aire Valley Council in which Keighley would pull away from Bradford.”