The Accessibility Statement for the Stalbridge Town Council website

​This accessibility statement applies to the website of Stalbridge Town Council: www.stalbridgetowncouncil.gov.uk.

Scope of this statement

This website is run and maintained by Stalbridge Town Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. To achieve this, we aim to comply with the following legal and regulatory frameworks:
  • The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (“Accessibility Regulations”), which implement Directive (EU) 2016/2102 into UK law.
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, and working towards WCAG 2.2 Level AA (the latest recommended W3C standard).
  • Equality Act 2010 – particularly the Public Sector Equality Duty (s.149), requiring reasonable adjustments for disabled users.
  • Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR – ensuring that personal information collected via accessible forms is handled lawfully and fairly.
  • Freedom of Information Act 2000 – ensuring that published content, including accessible versions of documents, supports public access rights.
  • Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CUTR) – ensuring that information provided on this site is accessible, fair, and transparent.
  • Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 – requiring clear and accessible online information.
  • The Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA 2025) – specifically:
    • Section 15 (Transparency): ensuring digital services are intelligible and non-discriminatory.
    • Section 21 (Service Readiness & Interoperability): requiring inclusive and accessible digital service design.
  • The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) enforcement role under the 2018 Accessibility Regulations.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Accessibility Regulations 2018 and WCAG 2.2 Level AA, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

Some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
  1. Navigation menus – Our content management system does not allow us to fully separate desktop and mobile menu structures. This may cause errors when tested with accessibility checkers.
  2. Cookie banner – The default cookie consent pop-up has colour contrast issues before it is engaged.
  3. Contact form – Placeholder text inside some form fields has insufficient contrast.
  4. Documents – Some PDFs and Word documents, especially those created before September 2018 or provided by third parties, are not fully accessible to screen reader software.
These issues fail certain success criteria under WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA (e.g., 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum), 1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 2.4.4 Link Purpose).

Disproportionate burden

In line with Regulation 7(2)(d) of the Accessibility Regulations 2018, we have assessed that it would be a disproportionate burden to make all historic documents published before 23 September 2018 accessible.
  • Where these documents are essential to active administrative processes, we will provide accessible alternatives on request.
  • All new documents created by Stalbridge Town Council after September 2020 are designed to meet accessibility standards.

What we are doing to improve accessibility

  • We aim to fix cookie banner and form field contrast issues during the Council’s next website software update (scheduled for 2025/26).
  • We are converting essential PDFs into accessible HTML pages where possible.
  • Training is being provided to staff to ensure all new documents comply with WCAG 2.2 AA and Accessibility Regulations 2018.
  • Accessibility checks are carried out using both automated tools (SiteImprove, WAVE, WebAIM) and manual user testing.
  • We will continue to review accessibility obligations under the DUAA 2025 to ensure our digital services remain transparent, inclusive, and interoperable.

Preparation of this statement

  • This statement was last reviewed and updated in September 2025.
  • The website was last tested in August 2025 against WCAG 2.2 AA criteria using both automated software and manual checks.
  • Testing included the homepage, navigation, contact forms, and a sample of documents published in 2024–25.

Feedback and contact information

If you find problems not listed here, or think we’re not meeting the requirements of the Accessibility Regulations, please contact:
Town Clerk
Stalbridge Town Council
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01963 364276
We will respond to all accessibility-related requests in line with our duties under:
  • Accessibility Regulations 2018 (Reg. 7(2)(e))
  • Equality Act 2010 (reasonable adjustments duty)
  • Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR (rights to access and rectify information)
  • DUAA 2025 (Sections 15 & 21) – ensuring transparent and inclusive digital access.

Enforcement procedure

​If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) for advice, or the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which is responsible for enforcing the Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Helpful resources

​For further advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability, visit AbilityNet.
 
This version now:
  • Covers Accessibility Regs 2018, WCAG 2.2 AA, Equality Act 2010, DUAA 2025, FOIA, CRA, CUTR, eCommerce Regs, DPA/UK GDPR.
  • Is structured in the required Reg. 7 format.
  • Is future-proofed by referencing DUAA 2025 as part of STC’s digital governance and accountability framework
Statement Approved 11.03.26 published 25.03.26
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