Changes To Council Services Over Festive Period 2024 To 2025

Most Isle of Wight Council services will remain open until 4.30pm on Tuesday 24 December.

Many services will reopen on Friday 27 December, close for the weekend and reopen Monday 30 through to Tuesday 31 December.

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

Please see the information below for key services, were for some, special arrangements have been made.

Adult social care and Housing

Offices close at 4.30pm on Tuesday 24 December and reopen at 8.30am to 4.30 pm on Friday 27 December. They reopen following the weekend and close again at 4.30pm on Tuesday 31 December and reopen at 8.30am on Thursday 2 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

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

• Christmas Day 25 December (closed)
• Boxing Day 26 December (closed)
• Friday 27 December (9am to 4.30pm)
• Monday 30 December (9am to 4.30pm)
• Tuesday 31 December (9am to 4.30pm)
• New Year’s Day (closed)
• Thursday 2 January – normal opening hours

Crematorium Grounds and Book of Remembrance:

 The Book of Remembrance will be closed on 24 (from 3.30pm) 25, 26 December and 1 January.

• Up to 23 December – open 8am to 4.30pm
• 24 December – open 8am to 3.30pm
• 25 to 26 December - closed.
• 27 December – open 8am to 4.30pm
• 28 December – open 10 am to 12 noon
• 29 December – closed
• 30 to 31 December – open 8am to 4.30pm
• 1 January - closed. 
• 2 January -   open 8am to 4.30pm

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, please call (01983) 821105.

Surveyors will still be available for site inspections and enquiries during normal working hours (8.30am to 4.30pm) on 27, 30 and 31 December, although there may be a limited service, and normal service will resume from 2 January.

Children’s Services

Offices close at 4.30pm, Tuesday 24 December and reopen Friday 27 December at 8.30am.

If you are worried a child is, or at risk of, suffering, neglect or abuse please 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 5pm pm on Tuesday 24 December and reopen 9am until 5pm pm on Friday 27, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December. Closed on Wednesday 1 January and re-open at 9am on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Newport Help Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December. It will then reopen at 8.30am until 4.30pm on Friday 27 December and at 9.00 until 5.00pm on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December. Closed on Wednesday 1 January and re-open at 8.30am on Thursday 2 January 2024.

The Help Centre, at Ryde Library, will close at 4pm on Tuesday 24 December and will reopen at 9am on Friday 3rd January 2024.

Coroner’s office

The Coroner’s Office will close at 4pm on Tuesday 24 December. It will be open on Friday 27 December, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December between 08.30am and 4.30pm. the office will be closed on Wednesday 1 January and will be open as normal from Thursday 2 January.

Cost of Living support

Please visit our website at: www.iow.gov.uk/costofliving

Council buildings or land

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

Floating bridge

 Cowes floating bridge Christmas and New Year operating schedule:

• Christmas Eve    0500 to 0030
• Christmas Day   0700 to 0030 (Service suspended between 1320 and 2000 – launch service NOT IN OPERATION)
• Boxing Day           0700 to 0030 
• December 27^th    0500 to 0030
• December 28^th    0500 to 0030
• December 29^th    0630 to 0030
• December 30^th    0500 to 0030
• New Years’ Eve     0500 to 0130**
• New Years’ Day    0700 to 0030
• January 2^nd          0500 to 0030
• January 3^rd           0500 to 0030

**Last crossing from East Cowes 0110,   Last crossing from West Cowes 0120

Please 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 - please 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 23 December - 6am to 9pm.
• 24 December - 6am to 2pm.
• 25 & 26 December - closed.
• 27 December 6am to 6.30pm
• 28 & 29 December 8am to 5pm
• 30 December - 6am to 6.30pm.
• 31 December - 6am to 2pm.
• 1 January - closed.        
• 2 January – 6am to 9pm

Medina:

• Up to 23 December - 6am to 9pm.
• 24 December - 6am to 2pm.
• 25 & 26 December - closed.
• 27 December 6am to 6.30pm
• 28 & 29 December 8am to 5pm
• 30 December - 6am to 6.30pm.
• 31 December - 6am to 2pm.
• 1 January - closed.        
• 2 January – 6am to 9pm

Medina Theatre:

• 23 December – 12.30pm to 5pm
• 24 December – 9.30am to 5pm
• 25 & 26 December - closed.
• 27 to 30 December – 12.30pm to 7.30pm
• 30 December - 2 January - closed.        

Westridge:

• Up to 23 December – 6am to 9pm
• 24 December - 6am to 2pm.
• 25 & 26 December - closed.
• 27 December 6am to 6.30pm
• 28 December 8am to 2pm
• 29 December – closed.
• 30 December - 6am to 6.30pm.
• 31 December - 6am to 2pm
• 01 January – closed.
• 02 January – 6am to 9pm

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

21 December 2pm

22 December 2pm

23 December 2pm

24 December 10.30am & 2pm

27 December 2pm & 7pm (Grown-ups panto)

28 December 2pm & 7pm (Grown-ups panto)

29 December 2pm & 7pm (Grown-ups panto)

30 December 2pm & 7pm (Grown-ups panto)

Libraries

• Cowes Library - closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 10am, Friday 3 January.
• Freshwater Library - closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 9.30am Friday 3 January.
• Newport Library – closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 9am, Thursday 2 January.
• Ryde Library - closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 9am, Friday 3 January.
• Sandown Library - closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 9am, Thursday 2 January.
• Ventnor Library - closes 4pm, Tuesday 24 December; reopens 9.30am, Friday 3 January.

Heritage Service

Record Office

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

• 23 December – 9.30am to 4.30pm
• 24 December – closed (normal Tuesday closure)
• 25 to 28 December - closed.
• 29 December - closed
• 30 December – closed
• 31 December – closed
• 1 January - closed.        
• 2 January – 9.30am to 4.30pm

Archaeology and Historic Environment Service 

The Archaeology and Historic Environment Service will be available until 4.30pm on Friday 20 December. The Service will re-open on Thursday 2 January.

Dinosaur Isle Museum

Close at 4pm Saturday 21 December

• 22 & 23 December closed as normal
• 24 December - closed
• 25 to 26 December – closed
• 27 & 28 December – open 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm
• 29 & 30 December – closed as normal
• 31 December – open 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm
• 1 January - closed.        
• 2 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 1pm Thursday 12th December and will open again on Thursday 16th January at 10am to 1pm.

Newport Roman Villa

The villa is closed for the winter period.

Parking services

Parking services close at 4pm on Tuesday 24 December. They next open Friday 27, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December with the hours of 8.30am to 4.30pm. Closed 1 January and reopen as normal on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Planning

The planning department will be operating within office hours of 8.30am to 4pm on 23, 24, 27, 30 and 31 December with pre-booked appointments only. It will be closed on 25 and 26 December, 1 January and will operate as normal from Thursday 2 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 25 December, Tuesday 26 December and Monday 1 January 2024. 

Collections will return to normal from Monday 6 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 6 January and Friday 17 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 6 January and Friday 17 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 4pm, Tuesday 24 December. An appointment only service will run on Friday 27 December, Monday 30th December and Tuesday 31st December from 9.00am to 4pm. The office at Seaclose will open as normal on 2 January.

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

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

These services will close at 4pm on Tuesday 24 December.  Services will be open on Friday 27, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December between 8:30am and 4.30pm. These services will be closed on Wednesday 1 January and will be open as normal from Thursday 2 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 25 December will receive this payment earlier than usual due to the Christmas break. It will be credited on 22 December instead.

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

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

Learning and Development Resource Centre

The Learning and Development Resource Centre be available until 5pm on Thursday 19 December. The Service will re-open as usual on Friday 3 January.

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