Accessibility


Accessibility statement for Sampford Courtenay Parish Council website


This website is run by Sampford Courtenay Parish Council (SCPC) in collaboration with other groups across the Parish.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website, and we want this site to be as accessible as possible.

For example, that means you should be able to:
• change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser settings
• zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen using browser settings
• 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

We also aim to make the website text as simple as possible to understand. AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.


Translation


If you would like information on our website translated into another language, you may find one of the services listed below meets your needs. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any external website or free website translators.
• Free Translation
• Google


How accessible is this website?


Having completed a basic check of the website we have found that the following aspects provide a satisfactory level of accessibility:
• on all the main pages text can be magnified to 300%
• the main pages and attachments can be changed using contrast plug ins
• the ability to use text to speech is available on main pages and most attachments


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

• the ability to use keyboard navigation is not fully functioning
• the ability to search by headers is not formatted correctly
• there are contrast issues in the header and footer which includes the text around the subscribe for email link
• there are contrast issues with all Email and web links
• most (older) PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software
• some of our online forms are difficult to navigate using just a keyboard
• some of the pages including events and A-Z Activities and Virtual Flower Show are only partially accessible with text to speech plug ins
• some (older) PDF documents are not of a suitable readability level


What to do if you can’t access parts of this website


If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, please contact us through Sampford Courtenay Parish Clerk - 0183782285 or via email on scpcclerk@aol.com .

We’ll consider your request and get back to you as soon as possible.


Reporting accessibility problems with this website


We are continuously 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, contact us us through Sampford Courtenay Parish Clerk - 0183782285 or via email on scpcclerk@aol.com .

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

Sampford Courtenay Parish Council (SCPC) 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


Currently our site does not meet some of the key requirements of the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, and is therefore not compliant. This will be due to one or both of the following:
• non-compliances - this means the content in question is in scope of the regulations,but there’s an accessibility problem with it
• an exemption - this means the inaccessible content is out of scope of the regulations,or it would be a disproportionate burden for SCPC to make it accessible

Non-accessible content


The content types listed below are non-accessible for the following reasons:
• the site is currently only partly able to support navigation using keyboard navigation
• the site has pages that currently have incorrect headings sequences making it unreliable to navigate when searching the headings
• some pages may be difficult to navigate using screen reader software
• some pages contrast issues including web and email links
• some PDF and Word documents attached aren’t fully accessible to screen reader or text to speech software
• some PDF and Word documents do not meet an appropriate readability score to assist understanding
• some images do not have a text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information
• third-party systems links that provide information as part of our pages may not be fully accessible


Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations


There’s no way to skip the repeated content in the page header (for example, a ‘skip to main content’ option). This is something supplied by the web provider and rectification has been requested.


The majority of PDF documents published since September 2018 aren’t fully accessible to screen reader software. 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. For example, we do not plan to fix https://www.sampfordcourtenay-pc.gov.uk/
sites/default/files/downloads/2019-04/minutes-5th-june-2018-1898098075.pdf or https://www.sampfordcourtenay-pc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/2…-
2017-no-action-column-1763765729.pdf.

Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards. 


Some images published since September 2018 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). We plan to add text alternatives for all images as soon as
possible. When we publish new content we’ll make sure our use of images meets accessibility standards.


Disproportionate burden


As a small organisation providing the administration of the website for the community on a voluntary basis, an initial request was made of out contracted web host and original web creator to undertake the full review for out Accessibility Compliance regarding WCAG 2.1 AA standard but the cost quoted (even for our relatively small, uncomplicated site) was 33% of our overall precept for the year. Whilst we have been unable to request our
professional Web creator to undertake the review we have undertaken a basic review of critical pages and are working over the next 6 months to rectify errors that are repeated on each page for example the Contrast issues for email and web links and the text linked to the contact / subscribe for email Link shown on each page.


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


The Sampford Courtenay Parish Council website was published before September 2018; as such it is required to be fully accessible by September 2020. We are working to review
all content across our website to ensure we are compliant as soon as possible.


PDFs and other documents


Many of our older PDFs and Word documents do not meet accessibility standards – for example, they may not be structured so they’re accessible to a screen reader.


Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing information regarding services and activity by the Parish Council. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services. We plan to either fix these or replace them with accessible HTML pages as soon as possible prioritising key pages over the next 6 months.

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.


Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.


Videos


Some videos may lack captions and do not meet accessibility standards. The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix videos published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.


External links


This website links to third-party, external websites or services that may not be fully accessible. The site indicates where you are choosing to move to an external site.


How we are testing our websites


We have undertaken a basic test in line with government guidance and best practice from National Association of Local Councils testing the website in the following ways:
• using the NVDA screen reader
• WCAG 2.1 compliance using a third-party review tool WAVE
• testing using a suite of browser-based accessibility reporting         tools including text to speech & readability test
• colour contrast checkers


What we’re doing to improve accessibility


We are undertaking a comprehensive review of all pages on our website and having tested and identified errors have created a 12 month programme to respond and fix accessibility issues.

Our aim is to ensure that all of our priority services websites are compliant by March 2021.

We also have a plan in place to review and update any of our older web pages to ensure they are compliant as soon as possible.


We are providing training to all content authors to ensure new content is accessible through use of templates and guidance. We will be reviewing our websites on a regular basis and updating this statement accordingly.


Contact us


For any enquiries about the accessibility of this website, you can contact us by:
• emailing the Parish Clerk Marion Pratt scpcclerk@aol.com
• calling her on 0183782285
• post at Highertown Farm, Sampford Courtenay, Devon EX202SX

This statement was prepared on 1 September 2020. Review of the statement will take place bi-annually.