Moray Council's Christmas and New Year service arrangements 2025/26
Moray Council has published its service arrangements for the forthcoming festive period.
All council offices closed
Wednesday 24 December at 3pm until Monday 5 January 2026 at 8.45am.
Emergency council services
Emergency out of hours services can be found at moray.gov.uk/emergency. Urgent child protection matters, immediate threat to your health and safety, or risk of major damage to a property can be reported on 03457 565656.
For routine and non-urgent contacts, information can be found on moray.gov.uk/contact.
You can make payments, report non-emergency faults and submit certain requests on the request and report tabs at www.moray.gov.uk.
Housing Emergency Repairs
Details of emergency housing repairs can be found online at moray.gov.uk/emergency – only emergency repairs will be progressed by phoning 03457 565656.
Non-urgent repairs can be reported through the usual housing portal.
Homelessness
Anyone experiencing homelessness with no other accommodation available can contact the housing team on 03457 565656.
Roads maintenance
Emergency road, footpath, drainage defects, lighting faults and winter gritting will be covered throughout the festive period. Winter maintenance information is available online.
Schools and education
All schools and council nurseries close on Friday 19 December and reopen on Monday 5 January 2026. Any queries during this time can be sent to education@moray.gov.uk but may not be responded to immediately.
Sports & Leisure Facilities
Buckie Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre; Forres Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre; Keith Sports & Community Centre; Lossiemouth Sports & Community Centre; Speyside Sports & Community Centre:
Wednesday 24 Dec: Holiday timetable (8am-2pm in Buckie, Forres, Keith and Lossiemouth; 9am-3pm in Speyside)
Thursday 25 and Friday 26 Dec: all facilities closed
Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 Dec: Holiday timetable – see individual pool pages for details
Monday 29 & Tuesday 30 Dec: Holiday timetable (8am-2pm in Buckie, Forres, Keith and Lossiemouth; 9am-3pm in Speyside)
Wednesday 31 Dec until Friday 2 Jan 2026: all facilities closed
Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 Jan 2026: Holiday timetable – see individual pool pages for details
Normal timetable and opening times restart on Monday 5 January 2026, including swimming lessons.
Forres House Community Centre; Milne’s Fitness Suite, Fochabers; Elgin High Sports Centre; football pitches and pavilions.
Wednesday 24 December until Monday 5 January 2026: closed.
Normal timetables restart on Monday 5 January 2026.
Libraries
Wednesday 24 December: Buckie, Elgin (Heritage closed) & Forres – 10am-3pm (early closing)
Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Keith & Milne’s – closed
Aberlour & Tomintoul – normal opening hours
Lossiemouth – 10am-2pm
Thursday 25 & Friday 26 December: all libraries closed
Saturday 27 to Tuesday 30 December: all libraries normal opening hours
Wednesday 31 December to Friday 2 January 2026: all libraries closed
All libraries return to normal opening times on Saturday 3 January 2026.
m.connect
m.connect services can continue to be booked via the app throughout the festive period, visit moray.gov.uk/mconnect for more information.
Wed 24 December: normal service
Thurs 25 December: no service
Fri 26 December: no service
Sat 27 December: no service
Sun 28 December: no service
Mon 29 December: normal service
Tues 30 December: normal service
Wed 31 December: no service
Thurs 1 January 2026: no service
Fri 2 January: no service
Sat 3 January: no service
Sun 4 January: no service
Mon 5 January 2026: normal service resumes
Car parks
St Giles and Batchen Lane multi-storey car parks
Closed: Wednesday 24 December at 7pm until Friday 26 December at 9am; Wednesday 31 December at 7pm until Friday 2 January 2026 at 9am.
Alternative street level parking is available.
Registrars
Elgin Office closed: Wednesday 24 December at 3pm until 8.45am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Open: Strictly by appointment, 29-30 December from 8.45am - 5.00pm for death registration only.
Burial Service
The information below shows the opening times for interment enquiries over the Christmas and New Year period.
Monday 22 December: Normal office hours
Tuesday 23 December: Normal office hours
Wednesday 24 December: Office closes at 3pm
Thursday 25 December and Friday 26 December: Office Closed
Monday 29 December: Office open between 10am and 2pm
Tuesday 30 December: Office open between 10am and 2pm
Wednesday 31 December to Friday 2 January: Office Closed
For further information please visit Burials and Cemeteries - Moray Council or email burialsadmin@moray.gov.uk
Refuse and recycling
Green and recycling bin collections will continue three-weekly, with no collections on Thursday 25 & Friday 26 December 2025 or Thursday 1 & Friday 2 January 2026. Alternative collection dates for these are set out below – please note some of these are earlier than normal collection days. Collections may be carried out earlier than normal, please have all bins at their usual collection point by 7.30am. If there's any disruption to these collections, we'll post this on our service portal and set out when we'll return.
There will be no brown bin collections from Monday 22 December for two weeks. Collections restart on Monday 5 January 2026.
Additional glass bins will be provided at Tesco (Buckie, Keith, Elgin & Forres) and Asda (Elgin) to meet increased demand.
Real Christmas trees can be put out alongside your brown bin from Monday 5 January and will be uplifted without the need for a garden waste permit for one scheduled collection.
Domestic waste collections
|
Area/Route No |
Normal Collection Day |
Revised Collection Day |
|
59 Lintmill Deskford |
Thursday 25 December |
Monday 22 December |
|
69 Elgin |
Thursday 25 December |
Monday 22 December |
|
74 Forres |
Thursday 25 December |
Tuesday 23 December |
|
14 Craigellachie/Rothes |
Thursday 25 December |
Wednesday 24 December (glass only Sat 27 December) |
|
75 Forres |
Friday 26 December |
Monday 22 December |
|
20 Lossiemouth |
Friday 26 December |
Tuesday 23 December |
|
55 Cullen |
Friday 26 December |
Wednesday 24 December (glass only Sat 27 December) |
|
110 Buckpool |
Friday 26 December |
Wednesday 24 December (glass only Sat 27 December) |
|
Area/Route No |
Normal Collection Day |
Revised Collection Day |
|
64 Burghead |
Thursday 1 January |
Monday 29 December |
|
104 Findochty |
Thursday 1 January |
Monday 29 December |
|
4 Elgin |
Thursday 1 January |
Tuesday 30 December |
|
89 Cragganmore area |
Thursday 1 January |
Tuesday 30 December |
|
27 Urquhart/Inchberry area |
Friday 2 January |
Monday 29 December (glass remains Fri 9 Jan) |
|
105 Buckie |
Friday 2 January |
Tuesday 30 December |
|
70 Forres/Elgin |
Friday 2 January |
Tuesday 30 December |
|
87 Drummuir area |
Friday 2 January |
Wednesday 31 December |
|
10 Elgin |
Friday 2 January |
Wednesday 31 December |
Updated collection calendars are available here.
The special collection and waste hotline will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December until 9am Monday 5 January.
The last bulky collections for 2025 will be Friday 12 December 2025.
Recycling centres
Please note from Sunday 21 December until Monday 5 January 2026 we can't accept wood, metal, soil and rubble at any recycling centre.
|
Mon 22 Dec |
Tues 23 Dec |
Wed 24 Dec (12noon closing) |
Thurs 25 Dec |
Fri 26 Dec |
Sat 27 Dec |
Sun 28 Dec |
|
|
Chanonry (Elgin) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Waterford (Forres) |
Open |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Gollachy (Buckie) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Balloch Road (Keith) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Dallachy (Spey Bay) |
Open |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
|
Mon 29 Dec |
Tues 30 Dec |
Wed 31 Dec (12noon closing) |
Thurs 1 Jan |
Fri 2 Jan |
Sat 3 Jan |
Sun 4 Jan |
|
|
Chanonry (Elgin) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Waterford (Forres) |
Open |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Gollachy (Buckie) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Balloch Road (Keith) |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Open |
Open |
|
Dallachy (Spey Bay) |
Open |
Open |
Open |
Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
Bookings are still required for Chanonry Recycling Centre, Elgin, and can be made up to one hour before the time slot where there is availability.
Commercial waste collections
|
Route |
Scheduled collection |
Revised collection |
|
Commercial Waste: Buckie |
Thursday 25 December |
Saturday 27 December |
|
Commercial Waste: Speyside |
Thursday 25 December |
Saturday 27 December |
|
Commercial Waste: Elgin & Lossiemouth |
Friday 26 December |
Saturday 27 December |
|
Commercial Recycling: Elgin |
Friday 26 December |
Saturday 27 December |
|
Commercial Recycling: Lossiemouth |
Friday 26 December |
Monday 29 December |
|
Route |
Scheduled collection |
Revised collection |
|
Commercial Waste: Buckie |
Thursday 1 December |
Saturday 3 January |
|
Commercial Waste: Speyside |
Thursday 1 December |
Saturday 3 January |
|
Commercial Waste: Elgin & Lossiemouth |
Friday 2 January |
Saturday 3 January |
|
Commercial Recycling: Elgin |
Friday 2 January |
Saturday 3 January |
|
Commercial Recycling: Lossiemouth |
Friday 2 January |
Monday 5 January |
Public conveniences
Closed: 25 & 26 December 2025 and 1 & 2 January 2026.
Scottish Welfare Fund
Scottish Welfare Fund will close Wednesday 24 December 2025 at 3pm re-opening on Monday 29 December 2025.
A skeleton Crisis Grant service will be provided on Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December and Wednesday 31 December.
Applications can be made online at www.moray.gov.uk/scottishwelfarefund or by phoning 03457 565 656.
The service will close at 4pm on Wednesday 31 December, re-opening at 8.45am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Care at Home service
The Care at Home service will continue to operate throughout the festive period. Office-based support teams will also be available and can be contacted as usual.
Adult, Children and Families, and Justice social care services
Duty social work arrangements will be in place for all services.
For enquiries or concerns, please contact:
- Adult Access Team: 01343 563999 or accesscareteam@moray.gov.uk
- Children and Families Access Team: 01343 554370 or childrensaccessteam@moray.gov.uk
- Justice Services: 01343 557200 or justice@moray.gov.uk
For urgent support outside normal office hours or on public holidays, contact the Moray Council emergency helpline on 03457 565656.