Accessibility statement

Accessibility statement for www.swindon.gov.uk

Swindon Borough Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This accessibility statement applies to www.swindon.gov.uk.

This website is run by Swindon Borough Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

You can amend the website's accessibility settings to suit your needs using the accessibility adjustments tool. The settings you choose will be saved for future visits and you can always return to the standard settings using the 'Reset' button.

How accessible this website is

We know that some elements of this website are not fully accessible. For example:

Perceivable

  • Maps (and the information displayed on them) are not picked up in full by assistive technologies
  • Some embedded YouTube videos do not have accurate captions
  • Some financial information is published in CSV files, which do not include table formatting that accurately conveys the information
  • Insufficient colour contrast between text and background elements on several pages
  • The text for the 'My account' and 'Menu' buttons in the header is clipped when resized, causing loss of content and functionality
  • Some form controls may not have sufficient contrast with their surrounding background, making them difficult to perceive and use
  • Not all webpages currently include a top-level heading

Operable

  • Some of our forms may be difficult to navigate using just a keyboard
  • The map interface may not be fully operable through a keyboard
  • There is a 24-minute time limit to complete a form, but no warning is given when the webpage is about to expire and no way to extend the time limit
  • Some webpages have duplicate titles
  • Some headings do not accurately describe the content underneath
  • Some interactive controls may have their focus indicators partially or fully obscured
  • Some interactive elements, particularly hyperlinks, are too small or too close together

Understandable

  • We do not have a language translation tool on the website
  • Not all webpages and downloads are written in plain English

Robust

  • Many PDF files are not fully accessible to screen reader software. This also applies to Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
  • Some interactive controls may not clearly indicate their selected state

Other

  • We have not done extensive testing with screen reader technologies or speech recognition software
  • Some of our third-party forms, applications and web services do not meet WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2 AA compliance

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliance(s) and/or the exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason(s):

(a) non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

  • Some embedded YouTube videos do not have accurate captions. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 (Captions Prerecorded).
  • Not all webpages currently include a top-level heading. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some financial information is published in csv files, which do not include table formatting that accurately conveys the information. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Insufficient colour contrast between text and background elements on several pages. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast (Minimum)).
  • The text for the 'My account' and 'Menu' buttons in the header is clipped when resized, causing loss of content and functionality. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.4 (Resize Text).
  • Some form controls may not have sufficient contrast with their surrounding background, making them difficult to perceive and use. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.11 (Non-text Contrast).
  • There is a 24-minute time limit to complete a form, but no warning is given when the page is about to expire and no way to extend the time limit. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.1 (Timing Adjustable (Level A)).
  • Some pages have duplicate titles. This may make it difficult for users to orient themselves and find the right content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page Titled).
  • Some headings do not accurately describe the content underneath. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).
  • Some interactive controls may have their focus indicators partially or fully obscured, hindering users ability to visually track their location during keyboard navigation. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.11 (Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)).
  • Some interactive elements, particularly hyperlinks, are too small or too close together, making them difficult to activate accurately. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.5.8 (Target Size (Minimum)).
  • Some interactive controls may not clearly indicate their selected state, potentially causing confusion for users who rely on assistive technologies. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Our maps currently lack certain accessibility features and we are committed to providing a map solution that is accessible to all users in the near future. Failures related to maps used for reporting issues include:
    • Maps lack sufficient text alternatives, hindering understanding and interaction for users who are blind or have low vision. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).
    • The map interface may not be fully operable through a keyboard, limiting access for users who cannot use a mouse. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard Accessible).
    • Keyboard focus indicators on the map might be unclear or absent, making it difficult for keyboard users to track their location within the map interface. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible).

(b) disproportionate burden

  • At present, we have not identified any accessibility issues that would constitute a disproportionate burden to address. However, we remain committed to ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Should any potential burdens arise, we will conduct a formal assessment considering the financial costs and benefits, impact on users and available organisational resources. We will maintain transparency and regularly review any disproportionate burden claims.

(c) the content is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

  • PDF and Word documents
    • While some of our older PDF and Word documents, particularly those published before 23 September 2018, may not fully meet accessibility standards, we are exempt from fixing them if they are not essential to providing our services. However, we are committed to improving the accessibility of essential documents, prioritising those viewed most often and ensuring all new PDF and Word documents meet accessibility standards.
    • We acknowledge that some of these documents may not be fully accessible to screen reader users, which does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)
    • All new PDF and Word documents added to the website are tested for accessibility before publication, ensuring they meet accessibility standards unless they are third-party provided and an accessible version is unavailable
  • Maps
    • While online maps and mapping services, including GIS, Google Maps and other similar services, are generally exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations, provided essential information is available in an accessible format, we acknowledge that their use on the website may present some challenges for users
    • We are aware of issues such as form controls missing accessible names, pins lacking alternative text and text being clipped when resized
    • We are actively exploring ways to mitigate these issues and improve the overall accessibility of our maps and mapping services
  • Videos
    • Our video content may have accessibility limitations, such as missing captions on live streams and some pre-recorded videos published before 23 September 2020
    • Although exempt from certain requirements, we are actively exploring solutions to improve accessibility, including adding captions where possible
    • All new video content will meet accessibility standards
  • Third-party applications and web services
    • While our aim is to ensure full accessibility across the website, we acknowledge that certain third-party applications and web services integrated into the website may not currently meet the same standards
    • We do not have direct control over these applications and web services, but we are actively engaging with the providers to address any accessibility concerns and encourage them to improve their services in line with the regulations. These include:
      • Modern.gov (for councillor information and meetings)
      • Capita payments portal
      • Synergy portal
      • Idox (for planning and licensing searches)
      • Liberata (for Council Tax and business rates)
      • Swindon Borough Council housing services (including 'My Housing Tenancy', advertised properties and the application form)

What we are doing to improve accessibility

We actively monitor and address accessibility issues on this website. Pages are audited for WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2 AA compliance using both Siteimprove (a third-party automated service and quality assurance tool) and Silktide Index (an automated accessibility testing platform). We also conduct manual checks on random pages regularly. We will continue to review this website and update this statement accordingly.

Siteimprove provides three levels of accessibility warnings (A, AA, and AAA) based on WCAG 2.2 conformance. As of 27 September 2024, www.swindon.gov.uk was marked at:

  • 98.8% for WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance level A
  • 82.8% for WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance level AA

Silktide Index also provides an automated assessment, based on 125 webpages. As of September 2024, www.swindon.gov.uk was marked at:

  • 93.6% for WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance level A
  • 92.1% for WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance level AA

While we currently focus on meeting legal accessibility standards, we recognise the importance of exceeding them. Although we are not actively addressing AAA conformance at this time, continual improvement and achieving AAA compliance remain a long-term goal.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 22 September 2020.

The statement was last reviewed on 27 September 2024.

This website was last tested on 27 September 2024 against WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2 AA conformance. The test was carried out internally by the web team at Swindon Borough Council using automated tests through Siteimprove.

We selected a representative sample of pages for testing by considering analytics data on popular pages, ensuring coverage of all main sections and content templates.

We have not used an independent auditor to assess the website for both automated and manual accessibility compliance checks.

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: accessibility@swindon.gov.uk.

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:

We’ll consider your request and get back to you with an initial response within five working days.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Give feedback about this page

Help us to improve this website

Use this form to provide feedback on this webpage. Don't use it to contact us about a service or make a complaint. We will not reply, even if you include personal details such as your name and address. If you want us to reply, you should contact us in a different way.

What is your feedback for this webpage?