The Isle of Wight Council have confirmed the details of their services over the Christmas and New Year period, which will see most of the council’s operations remaining open until 16:00 Christmas eve and reopening Friday 2nd January.
Some special arrangements have been put in place for certain services, detailed below.
Adult social care
Offices close 16:00 Wednesday 24th December and reopen 08:00 Friday 2nd January.
Adult social care will be providing a duty service for adult social care and safeguarding emergencies on 29th, 30th and 31st December between 09:00 and 17:00, 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 16:00 Wednesday 24th December and reopen Friday 2nd January.
On 29th, 30th and 31st 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 found HERE
Coroner’s office
The coroner’s office closes at 16:00 on Wednesday 24th December. It is open Monday 29th December, Tuesday 30th December and Wednesday 31st December between 09:00 and 13:00, however it will be taking out of hours referrals from the police, hospital and GPs. It reopens as normal on Friday 2nd 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 (09:00 to 17:00).
Tuesday 23 December (09:00 to 17:00).
Christmas Eve (09:00 to 16:00).
Christmas Day (14:00 to 16:00).
Boxing Day (14:00 to 16:00).
Saturday 27 December (12:00 to 16:00).
Sunday 28 December (12:00 to 16:00).
Monday 29 December (09:00 to 17:00).
Tuesday 30 December (09:00 to 17:00).
Wednesday 31 December (09:00 to 17:00).
New Year’s Day (14:00 to 16:00).
Friday 2 January (09:00 to 17:00).
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 16:00 on Wednesday 24th December.
County Hall, Newport and Sandown Help Centre offices reopen at 08:30 on Friday 2nd January.
The help centre in Ryde Library reopens at 09:00 on Friday 2nd January and Freshwater Help Centre reopens at 09:30 on Tuesday 6th January.
Highways emergencies
Flooding, fallen trees, traffic lights not working etc – please contact Island Roads, tel: 822440 or visit the website www.islandroads.com
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 06:30.
On New Year’s Eve the last crossing from East Cowes to Cowes will be at 00:50 and last crossing from Cowes to East Cowes will be at 01:00.
Libraries
Cowes Library – closes 17:00 23rd December; reopens 10:00 Friday 2nd January.
Freshwater Library – closes 16:00 24th December; reopens 09:30 Friday 2nd January.
Newport Library – closes 16:00 24th December; reopens 09:00 Friday 2nd January.
Ryde Library – closes 16:00 24th December; reopens 09:00 Friday 2nd January.
Sandown Library – closes 17:00 23rd December; reopens 09:00 Friday 2nd January.
Ventnor Library – closes 16:00 24th December; reopens 09:30, Friday 2nd January.
The mobile library is operating the following special schedules over the Christmas period:
Friday 19th December – Route D.
Monday 22nd December – Route A.
Tuesday 23rd December – Route B.
Wednesday 24th December – Route C.
Friday 2nd January – Route E.
See https://www.iwight.com/azservices/documents/1455-Mobile-Routes-v3.pdf for route details
Public health
There is a range of information about on the council’s website iwight.com, search for public health living well.
Pharmacy opening times can be found here.
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.
Register office
The register office closes at 16:00 Wednesday 24th December. It is open Monday 29th December, Tuesday 30th December and Wednesday 31st December from 09:00 to 16:00 (by appointment only). It re-opens as normal on Friday 2nd January 2015.
To register a death between 24th December and 2nd January, please telephone 823233.
Revenues, benefits, Local Assistance Scheme, parking services, Blue Badges and customer account services
The service closes at 16:00 Wednesday 24th December and reopens at 08:30 on Friday 2nd 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 www.iwight.com – follow the ‘Residents – do it online’ link on the home page.
Christmas housing benefit payment arrangements – please click here
Local Assistance Scheme – a limited emergency service will be operated on 29th, 30th and 31st December between 10:00 and 16:00. 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 2nd January 2015.
More information about the scheme and to make an application go to: www.iwight.com/las
Waste collection and recycling
There will be some changes to refuse collections over Christmas this year, primarily between Monday 22nd and Friday 26th December, details of which can be found here. Waste collections will resume as normal from Monday 5th January.
Christmas tree recycling
Christmas tree skips will also be available in the following locations between Saturday 3rd January and Sunday 11th 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 07:00 to 19:00 apart from Christmas Day when it is closed all day.
Forest Road household waste recycling centre will be open every Sunday in December between 09:30 and 16:30, but will be closed on Saturday 20th and 27th December and Saturday 3rd 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 to www.iwight.com/waste.
