Moray Council has published its service arrangements for the forthcoming festive period.

All council offices closed

Friday 23 December at 3pm until Wednesday 4 January 2022 at 8.45am.

Emergency council services

Over the holiday period the emergency out-of-hours service will operate as normal on 03457 565656 for all council services, including matters of child protection.
You can make payments, report non-emergency faults and submit certain requests at www.moray.gov.uk.

Schools and education

All schools and council nurseries close on Thursday 22 December and reopen on Monday 9 January.  Any queries during this time can be sent to education@moray.gov.uk.

Sports & Leisure Facilities

Buckie Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre; Forres Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre; Keith Sports & Community Centre; Lossiemouth Sports & Community Centre; Speyside Sports & Community Centre:
Normal timetable: Friday 23 December 2022.
Holiday timetable: Saturday 24 December 2022.
Closed: Sunday 25 & Monday 26 December 2022.
Holiday timetable: Tuesday 27 - Friday 30 December 2022.
Closed: Saturday 31 December 2022 - Monday 2 January 2023 inclusive.
Holiday timetable: Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Normal timetable resumes: Wednesday 4 January 2023 with swimming lessons starting from Monday 9 January 2023.

Elgin Sports & Community Centre:
Closed: Thursday 22 December 2022 - Sunday 8 January 2023 inclusive.
Normal timetable resumes: Monday 9 January 2023.

Milne’s Fitness Suite, Fochabers:
Closed: Saturday 24 December 2022 - Tuesday 3 January 2023 inclusive.
Normal timetable resumes: Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Football pitches and pavilions; Elgin High Sports Centre; Forres House Community Centre:
Closed: Sunday 25 December 2022 - Tuesday 3 January 2023 inclusive.
Normal timetable resumes: Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Libraries

All libraries: normal opening Saturday 24 December – except Elgin, which will close at 2pm.
All libraries: closed Monday 26 & Tuesday 27 December; normal opening Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 December; closed Friday 30 December until Tuesday 3 January 2023.
All libraries return to normal opening times on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Mobile library
The mobile library is on the road up to and including Friday 23 December. Full service resumes as normal on Monday 9 January 2023.
A schedule of Mobile Library visits is available here or by calling Elgin Library on 01343 562600.

Car parks

St Giles and Batchen Lane multi-storey car park:
Closed: Saturday 24 December at 7pm until Monday 26 December at 9am; Saturday 31 December at 7pm until Monday 2 January at 9am.
Alternative street level parking is available.
On Tuesday 27 December, Saturday 31 December, and Tuesday 3 January the multi storey car parks will open 9am-7pm.

Registrars

Elgin Office closed: Friday 23 December at 3pm until Wednesday 4 January.
Open: Strictly by appointment, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 December for death registration only.
Should a registrar require to be contacted urgently, please call 07891 721414 or 07742 716 586.

Refuse and recycling

Green and recycling bin collections will continue three-weekly, however there won’t be any collections on Monday 26 December 2022 or Monday 2 January 2023. Revised dates are set out below. Collections may be carried out earlier than normal; please have all bins at their usual collection point by 7.30am. If there's any disruption to these collections, we'll post this on our service portal and set out when we'll return.

There will be no brown bin collections from Monday 26 December for two weeks. Collections resume on Monday 9 January 2023. Real Christmas trees can be presented alongside your brown bin from Monday 9 January and will be uplifted regardless of whether you have a garden waste permit.

The special collection and waste hotline will be closed from 3pm on Friday 23 December until 9am Wednesday 4 January.

Recycling centres:
Saturday 24 and Saturday 31 December 2022 - all recycling centres will close at 12 noon.
Closed: 25 & 26 December 2022 and 1 & 2 January 2023.
Bookings are still required for Chanonry Recycling Centre, Elgin.

Public conveniences

Closed:  Sunday 25 & Monday 26 December 2022 and Sunday 1 & Monday 2 January 2023.

Scottish Welfare Fund

Scottish Welfare Fund will close Friday 23 December at 3pm until Wednesday 28 December.
A skeleton Crisis Grant service will be provided on 28-30 December.
Applications can be made online at www.moray.gov.uk/scottishwelfarefund or by phoning 03457 565 656.
The service will close at 4pm on Friday 30 December until Wednesday 4 January at 8:45am.

Care at home service

Care at Home will operate with a skeleton staff during the council closure period 24 December until 3 January.
Existing care at home users will receive their usual level of care throughout the festive period.

Children’s & Families and Justice services

Children & Families and Justice Services will be working on a ‘business as usual’ basis from 23 December through to 28 December 2022.
On 28 and 29 December 2022 Social Work teams will provide a scaled-down service covering planned and statutory work and respond to incoming referrals and public protection concerns. This service can be accessed by phoning 01343 554370. Placement Services can be accessed on 01343 563325. 
Out of Hours Social Work Services will cover all other dates up to 4 January 2023.
Justice Services will provide a service to Courts and ‘need to be seen’ clients on 28 and 29 December 2022.