READING Borough Council has announced opening times for its services over Christmas, including children’s and social services, library and museum hours, and other civic services.
The Civic Offices on bridge Street are set to close from 5pm on Friday, December 22, and reopens again at 9am on Tuesday, January 2.
The call centre is also closed during the same period, though in an emergency members of the public can contact the council via: 0118 937 3737.
Brighter Futures for Children, which provides children’s social care and education services, runs a reduced service during the Christmas period.
The service is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day, and available for urgent support only between 9am-5pm from Wednesday-Friday, December 25-27, by calling: 0118 937 3641.
Urgent support out of office hours is available by contacting: 0134 435 1999.
Services return to normal from Tuesday, January 2.
More information available via: brighterfuturesforchildren.org
Adult social care teams are operating an emergency service during the Christmas period, with urgent support only between 9am-5pm, Wednesday-Friday, December 27-29.
Urgent support is available outside of office hours by calling: 0134 435 1999, or during the daytime by calling: 0134 435 5050
The services are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.
Further information about support and other services is available via Reading Family Information Services at: readingfis.org
Housing repairs and maintenance services will be operating an emergency out-of-hours service for council housing from 4pm on December 22 until 8am Tuesday, January 2, via: 01189 373737
Leisure centres in Reading, including Rivermead, Palmer Park, Meadway, and South Reading, are open as normal until Wednesday, December 20.
From Thursday-Saturday, December 21-23, centres will be open between 8am-6pm.
Centres will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve, and remain closed until Wednesday, December 27.
Centres will open between 8am-6pm from Wednesday-Saturday, December 27-30, and between 8am-2pm on New Year’s Eve.
They will close again on New Year’s Day, and reopen as normal from Tuesday, January 2.
Parking services will close from Saturday, December 23, until Tuesday, January 2.
The Housing Homelessness Team will be operating an emergency duty service over Christmas to support residents who become homeless.
They are available between 9am-5pm on December 23, 28, 29, 30 via: 0118 937 2165.
Out-of-hours emergencies can be directed to the emergency service on 0134 435 1999.
Reading Libraries will operate normal hours up until Friday, December 22, with those in Battle and Southcote open in the morning only.
All libraries will be closed from Saturday, December 23, until Monday, January 1, reopening on Tuesday, January 2.
Book drops will also be closed during these times, with no items due back during the period, and no fines will be charged.
Digital services will still be available via: library.reading.gov.uk
Registration services are open by appointment only between Wednesday-Friday, December 27-29, restricted to urgent matters only.
Civil partnership and marriage enquiries will be dealt with in the new year, and birth appointments or citizenship ceremonies are bookable online via: reading.gov.uk/life-events.
Urgent funerals, religious services, or urgent marriage or civil partnership services are available via: 0118 937 3533 during office hours, or via: 0118 937 3737 outside of office hours.
While Henley Road Cemetery and Crematorium grounds will be open from 9am-5pm every day, offices and chapels will close from Sunday-Tuesday, December 24-26, as well as on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The Royal Berkshire Archives will be closed from Christmas Day until Tuesday, January 2.
More details available via: royalberkshirearchives.org.uk/contact-us
