This accessibility statement applies to content published on www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
This website is run by Dorset Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:
- change colours, contrast levels and fonts
- zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
- navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
- listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)
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.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website aren’t fully accessible:
- most older PDF documents aren’t fully accessible to screen reader software
- not all images have an alt text attribute
- some third party elements have non-accessible attributes (e.g. YouTube controls)
- some videos embedded on our pages may not be fully accessible
- our drop-down services menu is difficult to use for people that cannot use a mouse
- some of the forms linked from this website may not be fully compliant
- some buttons have coded accessible labels that don't match the text on the button
- the colour contrast on keyboard focus is not sufficient
- the filters on the search page do not have sufficient colour contrast
- the 'skip to main content' navigation does not always take the user to the start of the main content
- some tables are coded incorrectly
- some videos are missing audio descriptions, transcripts and subtitles
- the heading structure on some pages jumps levels
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, please contact the Content Design team. We will consider your request within 3 working days and get back to you.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren’t listed on this page or think we’re not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations please contact the Content Design team.
At the bottom of every page there is a link to a contact form called “Is there anything wrong with this page?” If you are having a specific problem with a part of this website, please use that form to let us know of an issue
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the accessibility regulations. If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person
We provide a text relay service for people who are D/deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.
Our offices have audio induction loops, or if you contact us before your visit we can arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
Find out how to contact us before your visit.
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Dorset Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
1.1.1 Non-text content
Not all images have an appropriate alt text attribute. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text content).
We are addressing these as they are identified by our site monitoring tool.
1.2.2 Captions (Pre-recorded)
Some of our videos do not have captions, or have incorrect captions. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion (Captions (pre-recorded))
We are planning to correct these issues by September 2025.
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)
Some of our videos do not have an audio description or text alternative for the visual content in videos. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.2.3 (Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)).
We are making a plan to correct these and aim to have it completed by the end of 2025.
1.2.5 Audio Description (Pre-recorded)
Some of our videos do not have audio descriptions where needed. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.2.5 (Audio Description (Pre-recorded)).
We are planning to correct these issues by September 2025.
1.3.1 Info and relationships
Some pages have an illogical heading structure and some pages have empty headings left in the code. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and relationships).
We are working to correct them on an ongoing basis, as resources allow.
1.3.2 Meaningful sequence
Some PDFs are not tagged in a logical reading order which may make it harder for screen reader users to understand information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 (Meaningful sequence).
We are working on training for our web editor community and will work to correct PDFs on an ongoing basis, as resources allow.
1.3.2 Meaningful sequence
Some tables have been used for layout purposes rather than data making it harder for screen reader users to understand information. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2 (Meaningful sequence).
We are working on training for our web editor community and will work to correct tables on an ongoing basis, as resources allow.
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
Some of the form fields on our forms don't indicate that they are mandatory. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose).
We are working to address these as resources allow.
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
Not all our buttons have consistent accessible labels to the button text. This fails success criteria 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose).
We are working to correct them on an ongoing basis, as resources allow.
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
Some of our videos do not have HTML titles where they have been embedded as iframes. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion success criteria 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose).
We are planning to correct these issues by September 2025.
1.4.4 Resize
Our contact details component does not resize properly at over 200% meaning some content spills over the edge of the page. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 (Resize).
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
1.4.5 Images of text
Some images contain text which is not always reflected in alternative text or in a HTML format. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.5 (Images of text).
We will be working to correct this on an ongoing basis and carrying out training with web editors.
1.4.11 Non text contrast
The colour contrast on some call to action buttons is not sufficient. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.11 (Non text contrast).
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
1.4.3 Contrast minimum
Colour contrast is not sufficient when links with white text (such as in the footer) receive focus. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast minimum).
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus
On pages using our 'guide' template, non-mouse users are unable to access the contents list and navigation links such as 'next' and 'previous'. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.13 (Content on Hover or Focus).
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
2.1.1 Keyboard
Our drop-down services menu cannot currently be accessed by keyboard users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard)
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
2.4.1 Bypass blocks
When activating the 'skip to main content' button the focus lands on the breadcrumb links and not the main content of the page. This issue is present on multiple pages throughout the site.
The 'skip to main content' button is broken in our 'customer account area'. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass blocks).
We are planning to correct this in 2025 but don't have an expected date for this yet.
2.4.2 Page titled
Some PDFs do not have titles set making it harder for people to understand the context or identify the purpose of the document. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page titled).
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In context)
Some links have non-descriptive text making it hard for screen reader users to navigate by links or understand the context of the link. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link purpose (In context).
We are working through these and correcting them. We aim to have this completed by September 2025.
2.4.6 Headings and Labels
Some of the form fields on our forms don't have accessible labels. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).
3.2.1 Label in name
The accessible name on some of our labels is not consistent with the visible text label. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.1 (Label in name).
We are working on correcting these issues gradually throughout 2025 but don't have an expected completion date for this yet.
3.1.1 Language of page
Some PDFs do not use the language attribute to identify the language used on the document. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.1.1 (Language of page)
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions
Some form fields labels and buttons have unclear labels or have ambiguous descriptions. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions).
We are working on correcting these issues gradually throughout 2025 but don't have an expected completion date for this yet.
Disproportionate burden
At this time we have not made any disproportionate burden claims.
Content that's not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents.
The accessibility regulations don’t require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
Documents submitted to us by third parties that we are obliged to publish, such as planning applications and letters of objection, will not be compliant. We cannot amend these documents as we did not author them.
Online maps
Our service includes the use of online maps to show certain geographical information. These are not used for navigational purposes and are exempt under the regulations. If you require the information presented in an online map in a different format, please contact us to discuss reasonable adjustments.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We are taking a number of actions to improve the accessibility of this website:
- we are putting together an accessibility action plan and roadmap to address issues raised in our most recent site audit
- we work with our website supplier to propose improvements to its accessibility
- we are training our staff and providing guidance on how to meet accessibility requirements
- we use the Siteimprove tool to monitor our website content and address issues as they arise
- we check new content for accessibility compliance prior to publishing, and advise colleagues on how to make their content compliant
- we introduced a long-form HTML content feature in September 2022 that allows us to convert longer documents traditionally created as PDFs only into HTML content.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 27 August 2019. It was last updated on 4 February 2025.
This website was last tested on 23 September 2024. It was previously tested on 20 May 2020 by Shaw Trust Accessibility Services, and prior to that on 7 October 2019. This involved automated testing and testing by people with a wide range of disabilities.