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The Xtra Diary - In the wake of the three-borough merger controversy - lively debates at council meeting between Labour and Tory councillors

Cllr Colin Barrow
Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg

Published: 5 November, 2010

THERE were lively exchanges between Labour and Conservative politicians at this week’s council meeting – the first since City Hall announced plans to merge some services with fellow Tory boroughs Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea.

Cries of “Down with the secret meetings!” were heard from the Labour benches, drowned out by shouts of “Oh shut up!” from the majority Tories.

Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the Labour group, claimed “vital information” had been withheld from Conservative backbenchers as well as his own Labour colleagues – but Westminster City Council leader Colin Barrow said the public had been aware of the plans “for months”, adding that neighbouring Labour-controlled Camden was considering a similar move.

Conservative Jan Prendergast said “feckless reportage” of the plans had “deeply upset” Westminster residents and asked what Cllr Barrow was going to do about it.

Cllr Barrow replied: “It is unfortunate that the press in this country does have a certain degree of independence and that therefore leads to the fact that what you say and what is reported are sometimes different.” 

He said the council was “in exploratory discussions” about merging some back office and specialist services in a move that could save as much as £100million per year, but he added: “As soon as things are brought into the public domain people start changing it, they start twisting it. There is no intention among anybody to...”

At which point he was interrupted by cries of “Why not? Why do we need so many Conservative councillors?” emanating from the Labour benches and Tory retorts of: “Why do we need you? Can we abolish Cllr Dimoldenberg?” 

IN a photographic operating theatre

A MAN in blood-splattered white robes roams around an operating theatre, wielding an amputation knife – one of many tools available to him.

He begins to make incisions into the naked body on the operating table. 

There is silence, other than a few essential instructions communicated to the other white-robed figures in the room. 

They watch on with equally austere and committed expressions. 

Should we fear these people or honour them? Are they butchers or healers? Are their tools objects of beauty or dread?

These are some of the questions which are explored in The Dreadful and the Divine, a new photographic exhibition at the Hunterian Museum  at the Royal College of Surgeons in Holborn.

Elaine Duigenan, artist in residence at the Hunterian, has made large images of the museum’s surgical instruments, such as forceps and amputation knives. 

The exhibition also contains an installation projecting shadows of surgical tools on the gallery ceiling, and there is an opportunity to view a set of 1870 amputation instruments. 

• The exhibition is at the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2, until December 23. 

Call 020 7869 6560 for further details.

Jim’ll be fixing it for radiation

Radiation is good for you, says the Royal Society of Medicine. 

At least that seems to be the conclusion to draw from the title of a free evening lecture – “Stop worrying – radiation is good for you” – set to take place at the esteemed West End institution next week, with a “welcome and introduction” from none other than Sir Jimmy Savile OBE (star of 1980s favourite Jim’ll Fix It). 

The lecture, by Dr Bob Bury, will attempt to provide “a sense of perspective” about radiation by examining its place in medical advances such as the discovery of X-rays. 

It will take place on Monday November 8 from 6pm to 7.30pm at the Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, W1. 

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