Rutland County Council has confirmed a number of changes to its services on Monday the 19th of September 2022, which has been declared an additional bank holiday for the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

For the day of the funeral, the books of condolence in memory of The Queen, will close along with Oakham Castle. Both will reopen on Tuesday 20 September from 10am to 4pm, offering a final day for people to sign. Floral tributes to Her late Majesty that have been laid at the Castle will also be processed once the books of condolence are closed.

 Local libraries and Rutland County Museum will also be closed on Monday the 19th of September, along with Visions Children's Centre in Oakham and the Rutland Adult Learning and Skills Service (RALSS) at Oakham Enterprise Park. This means any groups, activities or sessions planned on this day will not take place. Rutland's Register Office will also be closed.

All household waste and recycling collections (including green waste collections) due to take place between Monday 19 and Friday 23 September will be delayed by one day. The revised collection dates for next week are as follows:

All household waste and recycling collections (black, grey and green bins) will return to normal from Monday the 26th of September.

As well as changes to waste collections, Cottesmore Recycling Centre will be closed for the additional bank holiday. North Luffenham Recycling Centre will be closed on Monday as normal. 

Rutland County Council's main offices and contact centre will also be closed on Monday 19 September. However, residents can continue to access Council services online or by registering for the Council's MyAccount service, where they can make payments, submit queries and track the progress of any online requests.

Rutland County Council's out of hours contact service, providing 24/7 support is also available in case of emergencies. Simply call: 01858 464 499. Emergency out of hours contact details for Rutland's adult and children's social services are as follows: 

• Emergency out of hours support for children: 0116 305 0005
• Emergency out of hours support for adults: 0116 255 1606

Lucy Stephenson, Leader of Rutland County Council, said: "We are all still coming to terms with the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The national mourning period and additional bank holiday to coincide with Her late Majesty's state funeral are allowing people to grieve and reflect on the incredible legacy she leaves behind. Although there will be some changes to our services on the day of the state funeral, all of our most important services for adults, children and vulnerable people will continue to operate, and we remain available 24/7 in case of emergencies". 

Further information about commemorations and the national mourning period following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II can be found on the Royal website.

 An online book of condolence can be accessed online. All are welcome to sign and show their respects.