THE founder of Didcot Film Club has been elected as a town councillor and has pledged to campaign to keep the Didcot Wave pool open.

David Rouane, right, was elected as a Liberal Democrat town councillor for the Northbourne ward in a by-election on Thursday.

The by-election was held following the resignation of Conservative Andrew Bailey, who has moved out of the area.

Mr Rouane, who served as a town councillor until he was voted out in 2011, got 245 votes, beating Labour candidate John Ord who got 240 votes.

The Conservative candidate Alan Thompson got 98 votes.

Last year Mr Rouane, who lives in Didcot and is a director of a carers’ charity, launched the town’s film club at the Cornerstone Arts Centre and it celebrated its first anniversary last month.

Mr Rouane said: “I live in the ward so I know about relevant local issues. I’m glad to be back on the town council.

“There’s a campaign at the moment to save Didcot Wave from closure, which could happen when a new £15m leisure centre opens on land north of the town.

“Quiet negotiations with South Oxfordshire District Council could achieve some sort of compromise and I will be working towards that.”

Labour remains in charge of the town council with 11 councillors. There are eight Conservatives, one Liberal Democrat and one Independent.