Access to Aberdeenshire Council services across the festive fortnight for 2024/25
The opening arrangements for Aberdeenshire Council over the festive fortnight of 2024/25 have been confirmed, with essential services continuing throughout.
Key service-specific information is as follows:
Customer Services
Aberdeenshire Council’s telephone lines and face-to-face offices will be closed during the public holidays on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December as well as on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 January. Phone lines and face-to-face offices will also close at 4pm on Tuesday 24 December and Tuesday 31 December.
Normal opening hours for our Customer Services Team are from 8:45am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Phone numbers and office details for our services can be found at the following link: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/contact-us/contact-by-phone/
You can always check opening times of council offices before making a trip www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/contact-us/reach-a-council-office/
Emergency Contact Information
In the event of an emergency, please call the numbers below.
Our out of hours emergency service is available 5pm to 8:45am weekdays, and all weekend:
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Housing repairs and dangerous buildings, 03456 08 12 03
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Homelessness, 03456 08 12 06
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Social work, 03456 08 12 06
If the emergency or crisis is life threatening, call 999. If you are worried about someone who is ill, call NHS 24 on 111.
For more emergency contact details visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/contact-us/emergency-contacts/
Recycling and waste
Festive recycling and refuse collections are as follows:
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Bins scheduled for collection on Wednesday 25 December will be collected on the earlier date of Saturday 21 December.
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Thursday 26 December bins will be collected on Saturday 28 December.
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Wednesday 1 January bins will be collected Saturday 4 January.
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There are no changes to collections on Thursday 2 January.
For the festive period only (Monday 23 December to Monday 6 January):
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If your bin is not emptied on its scheduled collection day, please bring it back in.
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If a black lid bin is presented and missed, we will collect up to two extra black bags of excess waste on its next scheduled collection day.
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If a recycling bin is presented, missed, and not tagged, we will collect extra recycling of the same type on its next scheduled collection day.
Details of missed collections will appear on our website www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/binsdisruptions
We know that the festive period can lead to excess waste and that is why it is important to keep in mind how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. That includes making good use of your green caddy for all food waste. Remember, peelings and bones can go into food waste too.
Our hard-working waste collection crews are focused on providing a great service but, inevitably, people will be inconvenienced in the winter season as temperatures drop.
We thank you for your patience as the crews navigate the often-difficult conditions they find themselves working in across the colder months for the residents and trade customers of Aberdeenshire.
For households only, if you find yourself accumulating additional recycling and waste items, our household recycling centres are available to visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/RecyclingCentres
Household recycling centres across the festive period:
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Close at 3pm on Tuesday 24 December. Last entry for all booked vehicles at 2:30pm.
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Closed all day on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December.
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Close at 3pm on Tuesday 31 December. Last entry for all booked vehicles at 2:30pm.
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Closed all day on Wednesday 1 January.
We ask that all visitors to our household recycling centres check the website prior to travelling in case of closure, a change in opening times, a need to book, and to see what can be recycled.
If you do need to book, please arrive on time as entry may be refused to anyone arriving outside of their given time slot.
Commercial-type vehicles and vehicles with trailers must book to access all sites, with limits on their number of visits. Booking is required for all vehicles to access Inverurie and Westhill household recycling centres.
Booking slots for bulky uplifts are closed from the week commencing 16 December and start again from the week commencing 6 January.
You can get all the latest updates on waste collections along with an array of other council information by downloading the MyAberdeenshire app: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/my/mobile-app/
Live Life Aberdeenshire
All sports centres and ski centres will be closed on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December 2024 as well as on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 January 2025.
Our libraries will be closed from Monday 23 December to Friday 3rd January. Please note that our library opening hours will be different during the festive season. Be sure to check our updated schedule to plan your visit.
For the full list of festive opening times, visit https://www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/sport-and-physical-activity/festive-opening-hours/
Customers should contact sites on their direct number or send an email enquiry to llacustomerservice@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Live Life Aberdeenshire also offers access to warm and welcoming spaces where you can have a free shower, use Wi-Fi, and charge your device.
More details about cost of-living support and other warm spaces are available on Aberdeenshire Council’s website: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/communities-and-events/cost-of-living/