Police are warning New Year's revellers to be on guard after it was revealed that sex attacks by unlicensed minicab drivers in central London are rocketing to more than a 1000 a year.

New Year is regarded as a problem period as there will undoubtedly be vulnerable women who may have drunk too much and who cannot find, or cannot afford, a licensed cab. The recent 30% hike in black cab fares, are also reckoned to be forcing more women to use unlicensed cabs.

The new statistics reveal that there have been 150 recorded rapes and sexual assaults by minicab drivers this year, compared to 66 four years ago. Police believe that the true figure is probably up to 10 times greater due to the 'serious under reporting' of such assaults.

Drivers target their victims as they leave nightclubs, pubs, and restaurants and use a range of techniques to trap them. One woman was offered a bacardi and coke, which police believe was spiked, as she sat in the taxi. Some men offer free journeys in return for sex.

On one police operation more than half the minicab drivers stopped in London in a series of roadside checks had criminal records. Some had convictions for serious sex and assault offences while others were armed with knives and baseball bats.

Police warn that women should never take a mini cab alone.

11of Britain's top designers and artists are on the shortlist to create the £3million Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

The finalists, who include architects and sculptors, have been shortlisted from a list of 60 applicants. They will submit their final designs to the Royal Parks Agency which will announce the winner in February.

The competition to find a designer for the fountain attracted 130 proposals, including many from the public. Finalist William Pye, 63, a sculptor from Wandsworth, said: "I was delighted to be shortlisted; I feel a bit like David competing against the architectural goliaths." But Mr Pye, who made the water feature at Millennium Square in Bristol, added: "I've started my outline drawings. I was a great fan of the Princess and it would be a wonderful honour to win the competition."

Rosa Monckton, a friend of Diana and chairwoman of the Memorial Fountain Committee, said she was delighted at the response from such talented designers. She added that the fountain will be on the site of a disused pump house close to the lido on the banks of the Serpentine - an area Diana particularly liked.

"It's a perfect site," said Ms Monckton. "It's quiet and discreet and she often used to walk around unobserved. There's a lovely privacy about it that's fitting and it will add to the beauty of the park."

The decision to commemorate the late Princess with a fountain was announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown, head of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Committee, last January. Proposals to erect a statue of her were rejected for fear of sparking controversy. Instead, water was felt to be the ideal medium to honour the Princess, who died in 1997.

The fountain, which will be linked by paths to the Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens and the Princess of Wales Memorial Walk through the park to Buckingham Palace, opens in 2003.

The 11 finalists are: Sir Terry Farrell, William Pye, Kathryn Gustafson, Tony Fretton, Rik Nys, Julian Opie, Adam Carouso and Peter St John, Zaha Hadid, Diana Balmori, Tom Lonsdale and Thomas Heatherwick, Future Systems and Anish Kapoor.

While residents across the Borough tuck into their turkey and Christmas pudding, many Royal Borough staff will be working around the clock to ensure that essential services are provided 365 days a year.

Both the Social Services Emergency Duty Team and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Team will be on call 24 hours a day over the Bank Holidays to deal with emergencies. In addition, Home Care Workers and residential home staff in the Borough will continue working throughout the holiday.

Social Services
The Emergency Duty Team can deal with compulsory psychiatric admissions, offer support for children as well as older and vulnerable people. The can be paged on 020 7373 2227. Home Care Workers will be on duty throughout the holiday 8am-10.30pm, providing food. Staff from the North Kensington EPICS day centre will also be making home visits over the Bank Holidays, providing contact for centre users who are alone over Christmas.

Environmental Health
For major noise and nuisance problems and advice, the usual out of hours emergency telephone number will be operating throughout the holiday: 020 7361 3484.

The Town Hall
The Town Hall will be open as normal (9am-5pm Mon-Thurs, 9am-4.45pm Fri) everyday except for the Bank Holidays, 25th and 26th December 2001 and 1st January 2002. The usual out of hours telephone number will operate on these days: 020 7373 6099.

The Royal Borough is launching an innovative consultation strategy this week via its website. Electronic Government - a customer service scheme - is about using new technology to improve the way in which central and local government deliver their services, communicate, consult and work with other organisations.

This week people can register for the consultation and will be able to express their views on Electronic Government on the Internet. An estimated 3000 individuals and organisations have been invited to take part in this consultation exercise although registration is available to everyone in the Borough.

Those currently involved include members of the Borough's Residents Panel, community and voluntary groups and other public groups such as the Health Service and the Police.

Councillor David Campion, Lead Member for Information Technology said, "Here at the Royal Borough we take consultation very seriously. Although we do not expect the Internet to replace traditional means of consultation, we are interested in investigating how it can best be used as a way of promoting communication.

Electronic Government is a means of making sure that the Borough continues to move forward and keeps abreast of what is expected from us."

To register your details log on to the Royal Borough's website at www.rbkc.gov.uk/consultation.

Registration is open until 21 December with the consultation itself beginning in early January.

Geri Halliwell has so irritated staff at the health club, Holmes Place Kensington that she has had her membership revoked.

It all started when she brought her dog into the gym and asked the manager to look after it while she worked out. When he told her that dogs were banned, Geri stormed off in a strop. A few weeks later she came back, again with her dog, but this time went to the cafe where she was seen feeding the pooch a muffin.

Apparently members complained and the management was contacted.

Geri then proceeded to brush her teeth in the cafe after her meal, spitting it out onto her plate. Members again expressed their disgust.

The final straw was reached when she asked the management if she could bring her own personal trainer into the gym. Despite it being against club rules, she was allowed to do this, but, when Holmes Place realised that the trainer was getting her to do exercises which they considered unsafe they were not happy.

An insider said, " ... we're glad to see the back of her. She totally abused club rules."

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Local Features
Animal Monument Gets Go Ahead

Your Local MP - Michael Portillo
Latest news
Interview with MyVillage
Portillo-biography

Parks and Public Spaces
Cycling in Kensington Gardens Now Legal
Swans Are Victims of Mystery Killer
Kensington Garden & Hyde Park
Princess of Wales Memorial Gardens
Fear Over Children's Safety at Diana Garden
London Garden Squares Day - June 2001
Orangutan Walk - Sunday 24 June 2020

History
Gunman Take Over the Iranian Embassy in Kensington
Kensington and Chelsea : A Historical Sketch
Princess Diana Dies In Car Crash

Kensington Revealed
The Ghost of Kensington Palace