Accessibility statement

Accessibility statement

This accessibility statement applies to threerivers.gov.uk. This website is run by Three Rivers District Council.

How you should be able to use this website

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 using browser or device settings
zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
navigate most of the website using just a keyboard or 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.

To make our website easier to use, the site uses a tool called ‘ReciteMe’, a piece of software which helps people who:

visually impaired
can't hear very well
find a keyboard or mouse hard to use
find words difficult
speak a different language

You don't have to download or install anything - just click on the ‘Accessibility Tools’ link, located at the top of every page to access the additional toolbar.

It includes text to speech functionality, dyslexia fonts and a translation tool with multiple languages. You can also use it to change colour schemes, font sizes and style.

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

headings are not structured
colour contrast is not sufficient
you cannot modify the line height or spacing of text
many documents are in PDF format and are not accessible
some of our online forms are difficult to navigate using just a keyboard
you cannot skip to the main content when using a screen reader
some documents have poor colour contrast
some heading elements are not consistent
some images do not have image descriptions
some images used to convey information have poor colour contrast
some pages and document attachments are not written in plain English
some information in tables cannot be reached with a keyboard

Feedback and contact information

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

Email: enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk
Call 01923 776611

In your message, include:

the web address (URL) of the content
your email address and name
the format you need - for example, plain text, braille, BSL, large print or audio CD

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.

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 10 working days.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact our Customer Services Centre by emailing enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk or call 01923 776611.

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).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Three Rivers District 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

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

1. Links are not always distinguishable without relying on colour. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 (Use of Colour) and 1.4.3 (Contrast (minimum))

2. The back to top button cannot be accessed using the keyboard. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard)

3. Buttons or links when activated do not have sufficient colour contrast when receiving focus or hover. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast (minimum))

4. Not all elements have sufficient colour contrast. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast (minimum))

5. At 400% zoom some text, links and expandable tabs are no longer visible. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.10 (Reflow). We are currently working with providers for a resolution.

6. There is not always visible focus on interactive page content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible)

7. Not all moving, flashing or scrolling information has a way for the user to pause stop or hide it. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.2 (Pause, Stop, Hide)

8. Not all buttons have discernible text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)

9. Not all links have discernible text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)

10. Some interactive controls are nested. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)

11. Not all select elements have an accessible name. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)

12. Some images do not have a text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).

13. ARIA hidden element must not be focusable or contain focusable elements and ARIA attributes must conform to valid values. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value)

14. Not all PDF documents have titles that describe the topic or purpose of the page. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page Titled)

15. Zooming is disabled on mobile devices on some third party content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.4 (Resize Text: Zooming and scaling must not be disabled). We are currently working with providers for a resolution.

Third parties and my.threerivers customer portal

Our online forms and my.threerivers customer portal are built and hosted through third party software and ‘skinned’ to look like our website. This third-party software is not yet fully accessible. Some form fields are missing a label, which can make them difficult to navigate with a keyboard. Also, when using the tab key to jump between elements, some links and buttons are not highlighted on focus. We are in contact with the supplier about when issues will be fixed.

Some information on our website is provided by a third party which may not be compliant. We are working with providers to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.

We are aware that the PDF application for Pre-Application Advice and Follow-Up Advice is not fully accessible. We are working to resolve this and exploring alternative options including an online form.

PDFs that are provided by third parties that we have no ownership or editing control over may not be fully accessible. We are working with providers to encourage all documents to be accessible for users.

Live video

We do not plan to add captions to any live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We will test the site on an on-going basis using both automated and manual testing to identify and assess problems to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard.
We are working to ensure new PDFs are compliant with the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
Training for staff on how to create accessible pages and documents.
Ongoing monitoring of accessibility issues using automated testing via SiteImprove.
Weekly accessibility reports and schedule of changes.

Fixing issues with third party providers

Where third party customer platforms provide online services for our customers and aren't yet fully accessible, we're in contact with the supplier about when issues will be fixed.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 1 April 2023. It was last reviewed and updated accordingly on 6 September 2024. This statement will be reviewed at least once per year.

This website was last tested in September 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.

We also used findings from our own regular testing using SiteImprove web monitoring software when preparing this accessibility statement. We tested a sample of our most used webpages and other content, ensuring that the sample included examples of every component we use across the site.