Here’s all the important changes to council services in Lancaster and Morecambe this Christmas

More and more council services can now be accessed at any time online at lancaster.gov.uk, but for those who don’t have access to the internet and may require a service over the Christmas period, phone lines will close at 3pm on Friday December 22 and re-open at 9am on Wednesday December 27. They will then close at 3pm on Friday December 29 and re-open at 9am on Tuesday January 2.

Customer service centres at Lancaster and Morecambe Town Halls will close for face-to-face enquiries at 1pm as normal on all days of opening.

The following city council services will have changes to their operating hours over the festive period:

Collection of large or bulky items

For large or bulky household items, residents can book a collection online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/bulkymatters

Alternatively, you can call upon recycling and reuse charity Freegle which offers a free internet-based service where people can give away and ask for things that would otherwise be thrown away – visit www.ilovefreegle.org for more information. Don’t throw it away, give it away.

Batteries

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without larger than normal supplies of batteries, so the council is urging everyone to use the council’s new battery recycling collection service. For more information, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/battery-recycling

Coffee Pods

If a coffee pod coffee maker is on your Christmas list, you might like to sign up to the Podback recycling scheme and have them collected by the city council for recycling. For more information on the scheme, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/podback. To sign up to receive your free Podback coffee pod bags, visit www.podback.org

Christmas tree recycling collection

For a small donation to St John’s Hospice, you can have your real Christmas trees collected from your doorstep by hospice volunteers in the new year. For more information or to book yourself a collection, visit www.sjhospice.org.uk/recycletrees or call 01524 382538 during office hours.

For more information and top tips for recycling as much as possible over the festive season, visit www.recyclenow.com

Suspension of garden waste collections

Residents in the Lancaster district who have subscribed to the council’s garden waste collection service are being reminded that collections will be suspended over the winter months in what is traditionally the quietest time for gardeners.

There will be no collections from Monday December 11 until the service resumes on Monday February 5 2024.

During this time, residents can either compost the green waste or dispose of it at a local recycling centre.

Anyone wanting to subscribe online which is the quickest way to receive the service from April 1 2024, will be able to do so in the new year. More information on subscribing for the 2024/25 collection service will become available nearer the time.

Trade waste collection service

There will also be changes to our commercial waste and collection service over the Christmas and New Year period. For more information visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/commercial-waste

Markets

Festive opening times for the Charter Market and Assembly Rooms Emporium in Lancaster and Festival Market in Morecambe can be found at www.lancaster.gov.uk/markets

Salt Ayre Leisure Centre

Salt Ayre Leisure Centre will close for Christmas at noon on Christmas Eve and reopen at 6am on Wednesday December 27. The centre will close for New Year at noon on New Year’s Eve and re-open at 6am on Tuesday January 2.

For more information on timetables, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/saltayre

Williamson Park

The Pavilion Café, shop and other attractions will close at 3pm on Sunday December 24 and re-open as usual on Wednesday December 27. They will close again at 3pm on New Year’s Eve and re-open as usual on Tuesday January 2.

Visitors to the park will still be able to enjoy access to the park for walks and play throughout the festive season.

Cemeteries Service

The council’s cemeteries office will be open in line with council office opening hours and will close at 3pm on Friday December 22 and Friday December 29.

However, all seven of the council’s cemeteries will be open as normal – 24 hours a day, seven days a week for visitors and their vehicles.

Funerals will continue to take place as booked.

For more information visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/cemeteries

Christmas waste and recycling collections

As we previously reported last week, don’t forget to check your collection calendar as there will be changes over the Christmas and New Year period to your normal waste and recycling collection days.

There will be no collections on December 25 and 26 and January 1. Please see the table below to check your revised Christmas collection dates.

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION DATES

Normal Collection Day - Actual Collection Day

Monday, December 25 - Saturday, December 23

Tuesday, December 26 - Wednesday, December 27

Wednesday, December 27 - Thursday, December 28

Thursday, December 28 - Friday, December 29

Friday, December 29 - Saturday, December 30

NEW YEAR COLLECTION DATES

Normal Collection Day - Actual Collection Day

Monday, January 1 - Tuesday, January 2

Tuesday, January 2 - Wednesday, January 3

Wednesday, January 3 - Thursday, January 4

Thursday, January 4 - Friday, January 5

Friday, January 5 - Saturday, January 6

If in doubt you can find your 2023/24 calendars or check your collection days at www.lancaster.gov.uk/bins

For information on all city council services and to report issues, pay and register for services online, at any time, from anywhere and on any device, you can go online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/online