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Accessibility statement

We want everyone who visits our website to be able to access the full range of services available, regardless of their skill or technology.

Durham County 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 https://www.durhamcommercialservices.co.uk, linked sub domains of durhamcommercialservices.co.uk and all applications and systems that are classed as part of that site.

Compliance status

This website and supporting applications are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliance(s) and/exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

Non compliance with the accessibility regulations

Information about which areas of the site fail.

Main website

  • alt/link text: a third party plug-in is over-riding alt text, failing success criteria 1.1.1 and 2.4.4
  • headings: training directory content has an empty heading tag, failing success criterion 1.3.1

Energy Manager

This is provided by a third party supplier where we do not have full control to make changes. 

  • images: some images do not have an alt tag, failing success criterion 1.1.1
  • links: these do not have underlining making it hard for colour-blind users to see them, failing success criterion 1.4.1
  • background colours: some text / background colours do not have enough contrast, failing success criterion 1.4.3
  • zooming: viewport tag is being used to disable zoom, which fails criterion 1.4.4
  • frames and iframes: some do not have a title attribute, failing success criterion 2.4.1
  • document titles: some documents have no title failing success criterion 2.4.2
  • page titles: pages titles are not unique, failing success criterion 2.4.2
  • navigation: the system does not have information about its general layout failing success criterion 2.4.5
  • headings: empty headings fail success criterion 2.4.6
  • outline / border style: the stylesheet makes it difficult to see the dotted link focus outline, failing success criterion 2.4.7
  • page language: this is not declared, failing success criterion 3.1.1
  • buttons: there is an empty button element with no accessible name, failing success criterion 4.1.2
  • labels: some are blank, failing success criterion 4.1.2
  • elements: some elements do not contain text or an img with an alt attribute, failing success criteria 2.4.4, 2.4.9 and 4.1.2

Bookwhen (events)

This is provided by a third party supplier where we do not have full control to make changes. 

Disproportionate burden

Durham Learning Resources

System to be replaced in 2025.

  • headings: these do not cascade, failing success criterion 1.3.1
  • keyboard users: onclick handlers do not have an equivalent onkeyup or onkeydown handler, failing success criterion 2.1.1
  • page titles: pages titles are not unique, failing success criterion 2.4.2
  • links: identical link text is used for different destinations, failing success criterion 2.4.4
  • links: links use generic link text that has no context, such as ‘click here’, failing success criterion 2.4.4
  • links: identical link text is used for different destinations, failing success criterion 2.4.4
  • IDs: some pages have duplicate IDs which cause problems in screen readers, failing success criterion 4.1.1
  • forms: some have blank labels or titles, which fails success criterion 4.1.2
  • elements: some elements do not contain text or an img with an alt attribute, failing success criteria 2.4.4, 2.4.9 and 4.1.2

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

  • pre-recorded audio and video published before 23 September 2020
  • maps unless they provide core information
  • content that’s under someone else’s control that we haven’t paid for or developed ourselves:
    • social media buttons
  • Bootstrap
    • procurement catalogue

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on July 2020.

We re-assess the code, design and content of a website, application or system for accessibility whenever it undergoes a major modification. We do this internally using a combination of automated and manual checking.

Main site page content is manually checked every time it is updated.

This statement was last reviewed on 5 September 2024.

Feedback and contact information

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you have any accessibility problems or feedback, please email us at webadmin@durham.gov.uk.

If you need to contact us about any other issues, please use our contact us page.

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, please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Under the Equality Act 2010 we must ensure we do not unlawfully discriminate in our service delivery and make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities where necessary. We are constantly working to improve the accessibility and usability of our site.