This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
After closing for the Christmas/new year period they will then reopen on Friday 2 January. There will, however, be special arrangements for certain services.
Adult social care
Offices close 4pm, Wednesday 24 December and reopen 8am, Friday 2 January.
Adult social care will be providing a duty service for adult social care and safeguarding emergencies on 29, 30 and 31 December between 9am and 5pm, tel: 814980.
The hospital social work team (adult services) will operate on a duty service basis on the same days, tel: 534227. Outside of these times urgent calls should be directed to Wightcare, tel: 821105.
Children’s services
Offices close at 4pm, Wednesday 24 December and reopen Friday 2 January.
On 29, 30 and 31 December (during office hours), tel: 0845 6500097 for children’s services matters. Outside of these times urgent calls should be directed to Wightcare, tel: 821105.
If you are worried about the safety of a child, please call 0845 6500097.
Early Help Services Christmas arrangements can be below.
Coroner’s office
The coroner’s office closes at 4pm on Wednesday 24 December. It is open Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December and Wednesday 31 December between 9am and 1pm, however it will be taking out of hours referrals from the police, hospital and GPs. It reopens as normal on Friday 2 January 2015.
Council buildings or land
For emergencies involving council-owned buildings, please contact Wightcare, tel: 821105.
Crematorium
The Book of Remembrance and Gardens of Remembrance are open the following hours over the Christmas period:
Monday 22 December (9am to 5pm).
Tuesday 23 December (9am to 5pm).
Christmas Eve (9am to 4pm).
Christmas Day (2pm to 4pm).
Boxing Day (2pm to 4pm).
Saturday 27 December (12pm to 4pm).
Sunday 28 December (12pm to 4pm).
Monday 29 December (9am to 5pm).
Tuesday 30 December (9am to 5pm).
Wednesday 31 December (9am to 4pm).
New Year’s Day (2pm to 4pm).
Friday 2 January (9am to 5pm).
The public can access the grounds at all times.
All cremation papers, burial forms and music should be delivered to the crematorium at least three clear working days prior to each cremation or burial.
Help centres – Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Freshwater
Newport, Ryde and Sandown Isle of Wight Council Help Centre offices close at 4pm on Wednesday 24 December.
County Hall, Newport and Sandown Help Centre offices reopen at 8.30am on Friday 2 January.
The help centre in Ryde Library reopens at 9am on Friday 2 January and Freshwater Help Centre reopens at 9.30am on Tuesday 6 January.
Highways emergencies
Flooding, fallen trees, traffic lights not working etc – please contact Island Roads, tel: 822440 or visit the website
Housing
On-call arrangements for emergencies via Wightcare, tel: 821105.
Leisure service facilities
The Heights Leisure Centre in Sandown, Medina Leisure Centre and Medina Theatre in Newport and Westridge Squash and Tone Zone in Ryde will all have seasonally adjusted opening hours over the Christmas and new year holiday between Saturday 20 December and Friday 2 January.
Full details of opening times will be available in all centres or to download from the website www.iwight.com/leisure or by calling the venues direct: The Heights, tel: 405594, Medina Leisure Centre, tel: 523767, Medina Theatre, tel: 527020, Westridge Squash and Tone Zone, tel: 823883.
Floating bridge
Cowes floating bridge will operate a normal service, except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, when the service will start at 6.30am.
On New Year’s Eve the last crossing from East Cowes to Cowes will be at 12.50am and last crossing from Cowes to East Cowes will be at 1am.
Libraries
Cowes Library – closes 5pm, 23 December; reopens 10am, Friday 2 January.
Freshwater Library – closes 4pm, 24 December; reopens 9.30am, Friday 2 January.
Newport Library – closes 4pm, 24 December; reopens 9am, Friday 2 January.
Ryde Library – closes 4pm, 24 December; reopens 9am, Friday 2 January.
Sandown Library – closes 5pm, 23 December; reopens 9am, Friday 2 January.
Ventnor Library – closes 4pm, 24 December; reopens 9.30am, Friday 2 January.
The mobile library is operating the following special schedules over the Christmas period:
Friday 19 December – Route D.
Monday 22 December – Route A.
Tuesday 23 December – Route B.
Wednesday 24 December – Route C.
Friday 2 January – Route E.
Public health
There is a range of information about on the council’s website, search for public health living well.
Pharmacy opening times:
Christmas Day
Seaview Pharmacy, Pier Road (open 10.30am to 12.30pm).
Yarmouth Pharmacy, Quay Street (open 10.30am to 12.30pm).
Boots the Chemist, High Street, Newport (open 3pm to 5pm).
Day Lewis Pharmacy, 23 Sandown Road, Lake (open 3pm to 5pm).
Boxing Day
Boots the Chemist, High Street, Newport (open 8.30am to 5pm).
Sainsbury’s Pharmacy, Foxes Road, Newport (open 10am to 5pm).
Local Boots Pharmacy, Rink Road, Ryde (open 10am to 4pm).
Boots the Chemist, High Street, Ryde (open 10am to 6pm).
New Year’s Day
Boots the Chemist, High Street, Newport (open 10am to 4pm).
These details are correct at the time published, but are subject to change. People are advised to contact the pharmacy before attending to ensure they are open and have the medication required.
More information and opening times of pharmacies is available on NHS Choices.
Register office
The register office closes at 4pm, Wednesday 24 December. It is open Monday 30 December, Tuesday 30 December and Wednesday 31 December from 9am to 4pm (by appointment only). It re-opens as normal on Friday 2 January 2015.
To register a death between 24 December and 2 January, please telephone 823233.
Revenues, benefits, Local Assistance Scheme, parking services, Blue Badges and customer account services
The service closes at 4pm, Wednesday 24 December and reopens at 8.30am on Friday 2 January.
Online applications remain available for council tax/housing benefit and Blue Badges.
Automated payment system available 24 hours a day, tel: 0845 0450076 or pay online at the council’s website – follow the ‘Residents – do it online’ link on the home page.
Christmas housing benefit payment arrangements – please see our website
Local Assistance Scheme – a limited emergency service will be operated on 29, 30 and 31 December between 10am and 4pm. This limited service will only consider support for priority emergency applications, where alternative support is not available. All non-priority applications will be considered when the office reopens on 2 January 2015.
Visit the Website for more information about the scheme and to make an application.
Waste collection and recycling
There will be some changes to refuse collections over Christmas this year, primarily between Monday 22 and Friday 26 December.
Changes will also be in place between Thursday 1 and Friday 2 January. For some households, their collections may be one or two days earlier, and for others it may be a day later.
Below are full details of the changes:
Normally collected: Will be collected on:
December December
Monday 22 Saturday 20
Tuesday 23 Monday 22
Wednesday 24 Tuesday 23
Thursday 25 Wednesday 24
Friday 26 Saturday 27
Monday 29 NO CHANGE
Tuesday 30 NO CHANGE
Wednesday 31 NO CHANGE
January January
Thursday 1 Friday 2
Friday 2 Saturday 3
Waste collections will resume as normal from Monday 5 January.
Arrangements during snow
If it should snow (or there is snow cover from a previous day) on your refuse/ recycling collection day, your refuse will not be collected until your next usual day for recycling and residual waste, or the following week for food waste – assuming that the snow has cleared by this time.
If your collection is disrupted by snow, please remove your rubbish from the kerbside and put it back within your property. Please refer to the collection arrangements and place the appropriate waste/recycling kerbside by 7am the following week.
Information will be available to update you on the service from the websites (see below), Facebook and local radio.
Christmas tree recycling
Christmas tree skips will also be available in the following locations between Saturday 3 January and Sunday 11 January. Any trees collected in the skips are chipped and used for green projects. Artificial trees cannot be recycled and should not be included at these sites. People should not leave Christmas trees in car parks that do not have tree skips.
Brighstone village car park.
East Cowes Esplanade car park.
Lake, New Road car park.
Ryde, Waltzing Waters car park.
Somerton, park and ride.
Ventnor Botanic Garden car park.
Christmas trees can also be placed with garden waste at all household waste recycling centres. These can be found at Lynnbottom near Newport, Forest Road in Newport and Afton in Freshwater.
People should hold on to their Christmas cards and recycle them in their wheelie bins.
Household waste recycling centres
During the festive period, the civic amenity site at Lynnbottom will be open as usual from 7am to 7pm apart from Christmas Day when it is closed all day.
Forest Road household waste recycling centre will be open every Sunday in December between 9.30am and 4.30pm, but will be closed on Saturday 20 and 27 December and Saturday 3 January. Afton household waste recycling centre will be open every Saturday and Sunday between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Both sites are closed on weekdays as normal.
More information on waste collections can be found by logging on.
