Wirral Council has confirmed details of festive opening hours for key services.
Many council staff will take annual leave between Christmas and New Year, meaning that some services won’t be available at that time. Many services can still be requested through the council website, but may not receive attention until 4th January 2022.
COVID-19 testing
COVID-19 vaccinations
Details of where you can book your COVID-19 vaccinations can be found here 
COVID-19 support
The COVID-19 helpline – 0151 666 5050 – will remain open until 5pm on 24 December. It will then be open again from 10am-4pm on 29 December until 4pm on 31 December. It will open back up for the New Year at 9am on 4 January 2022.
Up to date advice and guidance can be found on the council website.
For urgent help with welfare enquiries out of hours or on bank holidays, call the Emergency Duty Team on 0151 677 6557.
Libraries
Wirral’s Library Service will close on 24 December at 5pm and reopen on 4 January 2022.
Leisure
Invigor8 leisure centres will be open as normal until 4pm on 24 December. They are closed between 25-28 December, but open as normal on 29 and 30 December. They are open on 31 December, but only until 4pm. Centres are closed on 1 and 3 January 2022, but open as normal on Sunday 2 January 2022 and from Tuesday 4 January.
Municipal golf courses are closed between 25-28 December, open as normal between 29-31 December and 2 January 2022. They are closed on 1 and 3 January, then open as normal from 4 January.
Wirral Watersports Centre will be closed between 25-28 December and on 1 and 3 January 2022. On 24 and 31 December, it will closed at 4pm. On 29 and 30 December and 2 January 2022, the centre will close at 4.30pm.
Culture
Williamson Art Gallery and Birkenhead Priory: The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum remains open to the public until 4pm on Friday 24 December. The Williamson will reopen at 10am on Saturday 8 January. The café is currently closed and will remain closed until 8 January 2022.
Birkenhead Priory is open to the public until 4pm on Friday 24 December and will then be closed until 12pm on Wednesday 2 February 2022. Staff will continue to respond to queries at arts@williamsonartgallery.org and info@thebirkenheadpriory.org
Floral Pavilion: Floral is only open for shows/performances. Doors will open one hour prior to the start of a performance and close as soon as the last patron has left the building after a show. The Floral Pavilion Café is closed until Monday 27 December, but pre-booked Christmas Afternoon Tea’s will still take place on the Panoramic Lounge.
Council Tax and Housing Benefit support
The council’s general telephone services, including Council Tax and benefits support, will be closed from 5pm on Friday 24 December, reopening on Tuesday 4 January 2022.
Social media
The council’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts will not be routinely monitored over the festive period. You might see some key messages posted on those channels, most of which will have been pre-scheduled, but there will be no-one online to reply to queries.
Homelessness and Housing
The Housing Options Team will be operating an emergency service only between 24 December and 4 January. In an emergency situation, where the service user has nowhere safe to stay that night, they should call the Central Advice and Duty Team on 0151 514 2222. This service operates between 9am and 5pm. If your enquiry is urgent and you are calling after 5pm, or on a bank holiday, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0151 677 6557.
If you, or anyone you know, sees someone who is sleeping rough then time is off the essence, please do a referral through to Streetlink as soon as possible. This will ensure Wirral’s local outreach team will be able to respond and send staff to engage with the person and offer appropriate support.
Waste collections
As Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day all fall on a weekend this year, there are no changes to scheduled bin collections.
Gritting and winter services
Gritting teams will be on standby 24/7 every day until the Spring, including over the festive period.
Highways and street services
Please call 0151 647 7810 to report an emergency relating to:
- trees
- road and pavement maintenance and repairs
- road signs
- traffic management
- traffic signal faults
- fly tipping
- highway drainage and flooding
- dangerous buildings and structures
Children’s Services
If you’re worried about a child over Christmas and New Year, call the Integrated Front Door on 0151 606 2008, open 9am to 5pm excluding weekends and bank holidays. Out of hours, you can call the Emergency Duty Team on 0151 677 6557.
Children’s Centres
Seacombe Children’s Centre is open between 29 and 31 December. Other centres are closed from Christmas Eve until 4 January 2022.
Adult social services
Adult social care operates through the Christmas period. If you require support or have an urgent need relating to Adult Social Care in Wirral between 9am and 5pm on 29, 30 or 31 December, please contact the Central Advice and Duty Team on 0151 514 2222 and press option 3. If you are calling after 5pm, or on any of the days not listed above, and if your enquiry is urgent, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0151 677 6557.
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