WHEN ARE COUNCIL SERVICES AVAILABLE OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD?

The Isle of Wight Council has confirmed the opening times of its services over the forthcoming festive period.

Most of the Isle of Wight Councils services will remain open until 16:30 on Tuesday 24th December, with many services reopening on Friday 27th December, closing for the weekend and reopening on Monday 30th through to Tuesday 31st December.

After closing for New Year’s Day, services will reopen as normal on Thursday 2nd January 2025.

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See the information below for key services, where for some, special arrangements have been made…

Adult Social Care and Housing

Offices close at 16:30 on Tuesday 24th December and reopen at 08:30 to 16:30 on Friday 27th December. They reopen following the weekend and close again at 16:30 on Tuesday 31st December and reopen at 08:30 on Thursday 2nd January 2025.

• For both adult social care and housing,  emergency and crisis support  can be accessed  out of hours via Wightcare (01983) 821105.
• Adult Social Care webpages: www.iow.gov.uk/adultsocialcare
• Housing Needs webpages www.iow.gov.uk/housing

If you are worried about a vulnerable adult and it is an emergency CONTACT THE POLICE BY DIALLING 999

Bereavement Services

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The opening and closing times for the Bereavement Service will be:

• Christmas Day 25th December (closed)
• Boxing Day 26th December (closed)
• Friday 27th December (09:00 to 16:30)
• Monday 30th December (09:00 to 16:30)
• Tuesday 31st December (09:00 to 16:30)
• New Year’s Day (closed)
• Thursday 2nd January – normal opening hours

Crematorium Grounds and Book of Remembrance:

The Book of Remembrance will be closed on 24th (from 15:30) 25th, 26th December and 1st January.

• Up to 23rd December – open 08:00 to 16:30
• 24th December – open 08:00 to 15:30
• 25th to 26th December – closed.
• 27th December – open 08:00 to 16:30
• 28th December – open 10:00 to 12:00
• 29th December – closed
• 30th to 31st December – open 08:00 to 16:30
• 1st January – closed.
• 2nd January –   open 08:00 to 16:30

Office hours are as above for weekdays, except for bank holidays, when the office is closed.

All cremation documentation, burial forms and music should be delivered at least three clear office working days prior to each service, especially over this period.

Building Control

Building Control will continue to operate a Dangerous Structure out of hours service over the festive period.

If there is immediate danger and a threat to life, call 999. For all other situations, call (01983) 821105.

Surveyors will still be available for site inspections and enquiries during normal working hours (08:30 to 16:30) on 27th, 30th and 31st December, although there may be a limited service, and normal service will resume from 2nd January.

Children’s Services

Offices close at 16:30, Tuesday 24th December and reopen Friday 27th December at 08:30.

If you are worried a child is, or at risk of, suffering, neglect or abuse contact the Children’s Reception Team:

Tel 0300 300 0117 (available 24 hours a day). If you are concerned, it is important that you talk to someone about this.

You do not need to know everything about the child and what is happening before you contact the Children’s Reception Team.

IN AN EMERGENCY CONTACT THE POLICE BY DIALLING 999.

Contact Centre and help centres

The Contact Centre will close at 17:00 on Tuesday 24th December and reopen 09:00 until 17:00 Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December. Closed on Wednesday 1st January and re-open at 09:00 on Thursday 2nd January 2025.

Newport Help Centre will close at 17:00 on Tuesday 24th December. It will then reopen at 08:30 until 16:30 on Friday 27th December and at 09:00 until 17:00 on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December. Closed on Wednesday 1st January and re-open at 08:30 on Thursday 2nd January 2024.

The Help Centre, at Ryde Library, will close at 16:00 on Tuesday 24th December and will reopen at 09:00 on Friday 3rd January 2024.

Coroner’s office

The Coroner’s Office will close at 16:00 on Tuesday 24th December. It will be open on Friday 27th December, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December between 08:30 and 16:30. the office will be closed on Wednesday 1st January and will be open as normal from Thursday 2nd January.

Cost of Living support

Visit the IWC website at: www.iow.gov.uk/costofliving

Council buildings or land

For emergencies involving council-owned buildings, contact Wightcare on (01983) 821105.

Floating bridge

Cowes floating bridge Christmas and New Year operating schedule:

• Christmas Eve    05:00 to 00:30
• Christmas Day   07:00 to 00:30 (Service suspended between 13:20 and 20:00 – launch service NOT IN OPERATION)
• Boxing Day           07:00 to 00:30
• December 27th    05:00 to 00:30
• December 28th    05:00 to 00:30
• December 29th    06:30 to 00:30
• December 30th    05:00 to 00:30
• New Years’ Eve     05:00 to 01:30**
• New Years’ Day    07:00 to 00:30
• January 2nd          05:00 to 00:30
• January 3rd           05:00 to 00:30
• **Last crossing from East Cowes 01:10,   Last crossing from West Cowes 01:20

Check the Floating Bridge www.iwfloatingbridge.co.uk  for live status before travel as the above timetable may change due to any potential adverse weather.

Highway’s emergencies

Flooding, fallen trees, highway obstruction, traffic lights not working etc – contact Island Roads on 01983 822440.

Non-emergency highway issues can also be reported online at fms.islandroads.com

General information is available via the website www.islandroads.com

Leisure Services facilities

The Heights:

• Up to 23rd December – 06:00 to 21:00.
• 24th December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 25th & 26th December – closed.
• 27th December 06:00 to 18:30
• 28th & 29th December 08:00 to 17:00
• 30th December – 06:00 to 18:30.
• 31st December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 1st January – closed.
• 2nd January – 06:00 to 21:00

Medina:

• Up to 23rd December – 06:00 to 21:00.
• 24th December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 25th & 26th December – closed.
• 27th December 06:00 to 18:30
• 28th & 29th December 08:00 to 17:00
• 30th December – 06:00 to 18:30.
• 31st December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 1st January – closed.
• 2nd January – 06:00 to 21:00

Medina Theatre:

• 23rd December – 12:30 to 17:00
• 24th December – 09:30 to 17:00
• 25th & 26th December – closed.
• 27th to 30th December – 12:30 to 19:30
• 30th December – 2nd January – closed.

Westridge:

• Up to 23rd December – 06:00 to 21:00.
• 24th December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 25th & 26th December – closed.
• 27th December 06:00 to 18:30
• 28th December 08:00 – 14:00
• 29th December – Closed
• 30th December – 06:00 to 18:30.
• 31st December – 06:00 to 14:00.
• 1st January – closed.
• 2nd January – 06:00 to 21:00

Theatre Pantomime times (www.medinatheatre.co.uk)

• 21st December 14:00
• 22nd December 14:00
• 23rd December 14:00
• 24th December 10:30 & 14:00
• 27th December 14:00 & 19:00 (Grown-ups panto)
• 28th December 14:00 & 19:00 (Grown-ups panto)
• 29th December 14:00 & 19:00 (Grown-ups panto)
• 30th December 14:00 & 19:00 (Grown-ups panto)

Libraries

Cowes Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24th December; reopens 10:00, Friday 3rd January.
Freshwater Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 09:30 Friday 3rd January.
Newport Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 09:00, Thursday 2nd January.
Ryde Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 09:00, Friday 3rd January.
Sandown Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 09:00, Thursday 2nd January.
Ventnor Library – closes 16:00, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 09:30, Friday 3rd January.

Record Office

The Record Office at Hillside, Newport is currently open by appointment only (823820).

23rd December – 09:30 to 16:30
24th December – closed (normal Tuesday closure)
25th to 28th December – closed.
29th December – closed
30th December – closed
31st December – closed
1st January – closed.
2nd January – 09:30 to 16:30

Archaeology and Historic Environment Service 

The Archaeology and Historic Environment Service will be available until 16:30 on Friday 20th December. The Service will re-open on Thursday 2nd January.

Dinosaur Isle Museum

Close at 16:00 Saturday 21st December

22nd & 23rd December closed as normal
24th December – closed
25th to 26th December – closed
27th & 28th December – open 10:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:00
29th & 30th December – closed as normal
31st December – open 10:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:00
1st January – closed.
2nd January – open (normal winter hours)

Cowes Maritime Museum

The same opening hours as Cowes Library, above.

Museum of Island History

The museum is closed from 13:00 Thursday 12th December and will open again on Thursday 16th January at 10:00 to 13:00.

Newport Roman Villa

The villa is closed for the winter period.

Parking services

Parking services close at 16:00 on Tuesday 24th December. They next open Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December with the hours of 08:30 to 16:30. Closed 1st January and reopen as normal on Thursday 2nd January 2025.

Planning

The planning department will be operating within office hours of 08:30 to 16:00 on 23rd, 24th, 27th, 30th and 31st December with pre-booked appointments only. It will be closed on 25th and 26 December, 1st January and will operate as normal from Thursday 2nd January 2025.

Reporting any alleged Planning Enforcement breaches, including any alleged illegal works to protected trees, and a range of other online Planning actions can continue to be made anytime at iow.gov.uk/planning

Household Waste and Recycling Centres ​

Recycling, waste and garden subscription collections are changing for two weeks over Christmas and the New Year period.

In addition, no bulky waste or free reuse collections will be made on Monday 25th December, Tuesday 26th December and Monday 1st January 2024.

Collections will return to normal from Monday 6th January 2025.

We collect extra recycling if your bin or reusable sack is full. Put extra mixed recycling in clear or white bags next to your recycling bin/reusable sack and extra paper/card in a clear or white bag separate to the rest of your extra recycling.

Extra polystyrene that will not fit in your general waste bin or black reuseable sack will be collected from households between Monday 6th January and Friday 17th January 2025. Place it within a clear or white plastic bag next to your black bin/black gull sack on your general household waste collection day. It must be in a clear or white sack so that the collection crews can see there is only polystyrene in it, or it won’t be collected.

Any extra general waste or black sacks left to the side of your bin or gull sack will not be collected.

Real Christmas tree collection

If you have an active Garden Waste Subscription, you can also dispose of real Christmas trees as part of the service. The tree should be clear of all decorations and pots and can be left to the side of your garden bin on your collection day between Monday 6th January and Friday 17th January 2025.

Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs)

Lynnbottom and Afton Marsh Household Waste and Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day. Other than this, normal opening hours apply.

Book your visit in advance or choose a same day booking by visiting the Isle of Wight Council’s website or by calling (01983) 823777.

More information on waste and recycling can be found at www.iow.gov.uk/waste 

Register Office

The Register Office closes at 16:00, Tuesday 24th December. An appointment only service will run on Friday 27th December, Monday 30th December and Tuesday 31st December from 09:00 to 16:00. The office at Seaclose will open as normal on 2nd January.

To register a death between 23th December and 2nd January, call (01983) 823233. For the out of hours emergency service  call Wightcare on (01983) 821105

Community Protection Services (Licensing, Environmental Health, Community Safety and Trading Standards)

These services will close at 16:00 on Tuesday 24th December.  Services will be open on Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31th December between 08:30 and 16:30. These services will be closed on Wednesday 1st January and will be open as normal from Thursday 2nd January.

Revenues, Benefits, Blue Badges and Payments Team

Online applications remain available for council tax/local council tax support/housing benefit and Blue Badges.

Christmas housing benefit payment arrangements – Those expecting a Housing Benefit payment on 30th December and 6th January will receive this payment on those days as normal.

To use the Citizens Access Portal to view your council tax account online visit  Council Tax (iow.gov.uk)

To use the Citizens Access Benefits Portal to apply and notify a change of circumstances visit Housing Benefit and support (iow.gov.uk)

Learning and Development Resource Centre

The Learning and Development Resource Centre be available until 16:30 on Friday 20th December. The Service will re-open as usual on Thursday 2nd January.

Loans for books and resources you may require for January can be collected during December up until Thursday 19th December.