Christmas and New Year service changes

Rochdale Borough Council has announced details of opening times and service changes over the Christmas and New Year holidays.  They are available online at www.rochdale.gov.uk/christmas

A number of non-critical services will not be available from Christmas Eve until Thursday 2 January although our emergency phonelines will be in operation throughout.

If you need to contact the council urgently during the holidays the emergency telephone number is 0845 121 2975. If you are telephoning the council about a non-urgent enquiry, their contact centre will be open (excluding the Bank Holidays) from 8am to 6pm weekdays from Tuesday 24 December to Thursday 2 January, when normal opening hours will resume. It will also be open from 9am to 1pm on Saturday 28 December.

Walk-in council customer information points close on Tuesday 24 December at 4.45pm and open on Thursday 2 January at 9am.

On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, libraries will close at 4.45pm. They will also be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year' Day. Libraries will be operating normal hours on the other days.

Adult social care will continue to deliver services for vulnerable people throughout the Christmas period. This includes homecare and residential care services.

There will also be an alternative collection day for properties due to have refuse and recycling collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Years Day.

Leaflets have been delivered to all households affected to inform them of their new date, which is also on the council website. Household Waste Centre’s will be open every day apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) Offices close on Christmas Eve at 5pm and re-open for calls at 8am on Thursday 2 January. Contact numbers are 01706 274100 or Freephone 08000 277769 for emergency repairs.

The Kirkholt Drop-in centre will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and reopen at 9am on Thursday 2 January.

Main Link4Life leisure centres at Heywood Sports Village, Middleton Arena and Rochdale Central Leisure – together with Touchstones Arts and Heritage Centre in Rochdale, open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day although on some days opening hours will be reduced. Marland Golf Course will be open every day except Christmas Day. For more details contact your local centre or visit www.link4life.org Hollingworth Lake Visitors Centre is open every day apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Rochdale Town Hall and bistro is closed from 6pm on 20 December, re-opening on 2 January.

Councillor Peter Williams, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Customer Services, said: “As always we have emergency numbers available throughout the holidays so if you need to contact us urgently you can. Full details of the changes are available on our website www.rochdale.gov.uk/christmas which is also the best place to check if there are any last minute service disruptions due to severe weather.”

As well as the council website you can also get updates on Facebook by liking ‘Rochdale Borough Council’, or by following @RochdaleCouncil on Twitter.