Council services over the Christmas period

On this page:

Christmas bin collection dates
Real Christmas tree recycling
Waste collection calendars 2026
Christmas recycling tips
Civic Centre
Car parks
Centres for the Community (meals on wheels, community transport, dementia services, community alarm)
Out of hours (emergency accommodation)
Information for Elmbridge Borough Council tenants
Fallen, damaged or dangerous trees over Christmas
Parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries
Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex opening times
Xcel Sports Hub opening times
Hurst Pool opening times
Christmas lights

Christmas bin collection dates

There are some temporary changes to bin collections over the Christmas/New Year period. Residents will need to present their bins on a different day than usual. Please present your bins at the edge of your property by 6am on your revised collection day.

Please see below to check your revised collection dates.

After this date, collections will return back to normal and bins should be presented on your usual collection day.

Should bad weather disrupt collections over the festive period please keep your refuse/recycling bins out. We will try to collect any missed bins as soon as we can.

Real Christmas tree recycling

Garden waste subscribers can recycle their real Christmas trees in their brown bin. Please remove all decorations and lights and chop it up into smaller pieces before placing it in your garden waste bin. Trees can also be taken to your local community recycling centre (CRC).

You can also recycle your Christmas Tree with the Princess Alice Hospice. Collections start from Wednesday 7 January 2026 for a minimum donation of £20. For more information please visit the Princess Alice Hospice website.

1st Weston Green Scouts are running their volunteer Charity Christmas Tree Collection in Elmbridge. For a donation of £10 (or £16.50 for a large tree), they can collect and recycle trees from Esher, Molesey, Long Ditton, Thames Ditton and Hinchley Wood. To book, visit the Collect my Tree website.

Waste collection dates calendar 2026

We've taken steps to reduce our environmental footprint by moving our waste collection calendar online. As a result, printed guides are no longer available.

Instead, you can check your bin collection day on our website with a simple postcode search.  You will also see a copy of your waste collection calendar should you want to print off at home.

Christmas recycling tips

Please only put recyclable items into your recycling bin, otherwise the entire lorry could be rejected and not recycled. Thank you for your help.

• Wrapping paper and cards - only those not lined with foil or plastic and that don't have glitter or batteries can be recycled, so please consider when purchasing and buy carefully.
• Cardboard - flatten boxes to create more space in your recycling bin.
• Other recycling tips and tricks from Surrey Environment Partnership.

Civic Centre

The Civic Centre will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December and will open again at 8:45am on Friday 2 January 2026.

Car parks

All council car parks will be open to the public over the holiday period.

To support local shops and businesses, there will be no charges in the council-run town centre and village car parks on Saturday on 6, 13 and 20 December.

Charges will also not apply in all council-run town centre, village and commuter car parks on Thursday 25 December 2025, Friday 26 December 2025 and Thursday 1 January 2026.

Please remember to drive slowly and safely in our car parks when there are icy conditions.

Centres for the Community 

All Centres will be open until Christmas Eve, then closed from Thursday 25 December and reopen on Monday 5 January 2026.

Meals on Wheels

A reduced Meals on Wheels Service will be operating during the Christmas and New Year period. All clients will be contacted to confirm their needs. 

If you have any queries about your Meals on Wheels service, please contact the team on 01372 474 552 or email commservices@elmbridge.gov.uk 

Community Transport

Community Transport will be open until Christmas Eve, then closed from Thursday 25 December and reopen on Friday 2 January 2025.

Any voicemail messages left on the transport number: 01372 474 944 during the closure period will be picked up when services reopen. 

Dementia Services

The last Dementia Service Social Club before Christmas will be on Tuesday 23 December, with clubs restarting again on Tuesday 6 January 2025.

The Dementia Service Office Team will be answering enquiries until Wednesday 24 December, reopening services again on Friday 2 January 2025. 

If you have any queries about the service, please call 01372 474 547 or email dementiaservices@elmbridge.gov.uk.

Community Alarm

Our Community Alarm and Telecare Service is provided by Mole Valley Life. For details of available services over the Christmas period, please visit the Mole Valley Life website. 

Out of hours - emergency accommodation

If you are homeless and need assistance (emergency placement) outside of our normal opening times, please call our out of hours service on: 0300 123 7719.

More information

GOV.UK: Help if you're homeless or about to become homeless

Citizens Advice: Homelessness

Shelter: Homelessness advice - or call 0808 800 4444 

Help for the homeless

Information for Elmbridge Borough Council tenants

The Pinnacle office will close from 2:30pm on Wednesday 24 December until Monday 29 December at 9am. It will close again on Wednesday 31 December at 5pm.

Please report emergency repairs on 0333 241 4635 which will go directly to the out of hours team. Between Christmas and New Year, this service is for emergency repairs only - where there is a risk to resident safety or where the issue could cause further damage to the property. Non-emergency repairs can be reported via the Ark app. This applies only to homes where Elmbridge Borough Council is the landlord. It does not apply to properties owned by other organisations.

Fallen, damaged or dangerous trees over Christmas

If you need to report a fallen, damaged or dangerous tree between 24 December 2025 and 2 January 2026, please check who is responsible for dealing with it before reporting. 

Parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries

Parks, recreation grounds, cemeteries and open spaces are open 24 hours a day.

The only exceptions are Cobham recreation ground and Ditton Reach open space in Thames Ditton.

Opening times for both the above:

Wednesday 24 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Thursday 25 December: closed
Friday 26 December: 9am to 4:30pm
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December: 9am to 4:30pm
Monday 29 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Tuesday 30 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Wednesday 31 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Thursday 1 January: closed
Friday 2 January: 9am to 4:30pm
Saturday 3 January: 9am to 4:30pm
Sunday 4 January: 9am to 4:30pm

Green spaces bin collection

There will be a reduced bin collection service in green spaces and countryside sites between 23 and 27 December and no bin collection on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.  If a bin is full, take your litter home. We will be prioritising the bin collection following Christmas to catch up with any full bins.  

Cemeteries Office

The cemeteries office, based at the Civic Centre, will be open for enquiries between 8:45am and 4.45pm up to and including Wednesday 24 December and will resume on Friday 2 January. It will be closed from Monday 29 December to Tuesday 31 December and re-open on Friday 2 January 2026.

Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex/Synthetic Turf Pitch opening times

Wednesday 24 December: 7am to 12pm
Thursday 25 December: Closed
Friday 26 December: Closed
Saturday 27 December: 9am to 5pm
Sunday 28 December: 9am to 5pm
Monday 29 December: 7am to 5pm
Tuesday 30 December: 7am to 5pm
Wednesday 31 December: 7am to 12pm
Thursday 1 January 2026: Closed
Friday 2 January 2026: normal hours

Xcel Sports Hub opening times

Wednesday 24 December: Closed
Thursday 25 December: Closed
Friday 26 December: Closed
Saturday 27 December: 9am to 7:30pm
Sunday 28 December: 9am to 4pm
Monday 29 December: 9am to 4pm
Tuesday 30 December: 9am to 4pm
Wednesday 31 December: Closed
Thursday 1 January 2026: Closed
Friday 2 January 2026: 9am to 4pm

Hurst Pool opening times

Wednesday 24 December: 7am to 12pm
Thursday 25 December: Closed
Friday 26 December: Closed
Saturday 27 December: 9am to 5pm
Sunday 28 December: 9am to 5pm
Monday 29 December: 7am to 8pm
Tuesday 30 December: 7am to 8pm
Wednesday 31 December: 7am to 12pm
Thursday 1st January 2026: Closed
Friday 2 January 2026: 7am to 8pm

Christmas lights

As sustainability is embedded within all we do, the Christmas lights are LED and are on set timers to only be on from 6am to 9am and then dusk until midnight each day.

Elmbridge Borough Council oversee the installation of the Christmas lights in East Molesey, West Molesey, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham, Oxshott, Weybridge, Oatlands and Esher.

All other installations, including Christmas trees, are managed locally through the various business groups within those areas. If you have any questions please contact buildingmaintenance@elmbridge.gov.uk.