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

This website was launched in October 2019.

How accessible the site is

We know some parts of this website aren’t fully accessible.

There are known issues with the:

• HTML: the underlying code used to create the website
• CSS: used to describe how HTML is shown on the pages
• JavaScript: a development language used to program some areas of the site
• 3rd party functionality: areas of the site which are developed by external 3rd party companies
• content: this includes web page content or documents

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 accessibility regulations. If you’re not happy with how we respond, please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

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.

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.

Compliance status

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

Non-accessible content

Non compliance with the accessibility regulations

Information about which areas of the site fail.

Durham Learning Resources

This is a system which is due to be replaced within the next year as part of the improvement programme. The fully accessible replacement site is due to be launched by February 2022.

• 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
• page language: this is not declared, failing success criterion 3.1.1
• colours: some body or element colours are set, but not all of them, failing success criteria 1.4.3, 1.4.6 and 1.4.8

Energy Manager

This is provided by a third party supplier where we do not have full control to make changes. It is expected that this system will be accessible by October 2022 following fixes being undertaken by the third party or contract renewal.

• 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

Procurement catalogue

This is a system which is due to be replaced within the next year as part of the improvement programme. The fully accessible replacement site is due to be launched by December 2021.

• stylesheets: some content is in stylesheet, making it unavailable to screen readers and users who are not using the stylesheet, failing success criterion 1.3.1
• outline / border style: the stylesheet makes it difficult to see the dotted link focus outline, failing success criterion 2.4.7

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 statement

This statement was prepared on July 2020. It was last reviewed on 15 December 2021.

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.