Last updated August 2024
This accessibility statement applies to www.cambridge.gov.uk.
This website is run by Cambridge City Council in partnership with 3C ICT. 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
- zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using a keyboard
- navigate most of the website using 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.
To help customers adapt this website to their specific needs, we have also installed the Recite.me toolbar which can be opened by selecting the ‘accessibility tools’ link in the website header. You can find more information about Recite.me on our Accessibility page.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- you cannot modify the line height or spacing of text
- some PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software
- live video streams do not have captions
- our maps are not fully navigable with a keyboard (you cannot tab to pins)
Feedback and contact information
If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact webteam@cambridge.gov.uk.
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, find out about alternative formats. We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 7 days.
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).
Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person
We provide a text relay service for people who are Deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.
Some of our offices and public spaces have audio induction loops, and if you contact us before your visit we can arrange an interpreter.
If you are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use a free online service called SignLive to contact us through a professional interpreter.
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Cambridge City 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
The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.
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.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations:
Forms
Our search function form does not meet accessibility standards. It is powered by Google and there isn't a way for us to make it accessible. The actions identified are:
- Ensure form controls have labels (WCAG A 1.3.1)
- Identify the purpose of fields programmatically (WCAG AA 1.3.5)
A function that lets users choose whether to complete a form in our portal has a component that is too close to other elements. We will work with our site developers to improve this. The actions identified are:
- Ensure interactive components are far enough apart (WCAG AA 2.5.8)
PDFs
Some of our PDFs do not meet accessibility standards. The actions identified are:
- Ensure PDFs are machine readable (WCAG A 1.1.1)
- Tag all PDFs (WCAG A 1.3.1)
- Check PDFs have sufficient text contrast (WCAG A 1.4.3)
- Ensure PDFs have a title (WCAG A 2.4.2)
- Ensure PDF content is in a meaningful sequence (WCAG A 1.3.2)
- Specify headings for every PDF (WCAG A 1.3.1)
- Ensure PDFs specify a default language (WCAG A 3.1.1)
- Ensure PDF headings follow a logical order (WCAG A 1.3.1)
- Ensure the first heading in a PDF is a H1 (WCAG A 1.3.1)
We are updating essential and popular documents to make them accessible as soon as possible, based on the actions above.
Maps
Some of our maps use the Google Maps API, which does not meet accessibility standards. We are working to replace them with a new mapping system. The actions identified are:
- Ensure interactive components are far enough apart (WCAG AA 2.5.8)
Some of our other maps are not fully accessible. We will work with our site developers to improve this. The actions identified are:
- Specify a title for all frames (WCAG A 2.4.1)
Navigable
Some of our links use the same text for different destinations (WCAG A 2.4.4). We are working to update the link text as soon as possible.
Cookie consent
We use Cookiebot to obtain consent from visitors to set cookies on their devices. The system supplier is working to fix some accessibility problems to make the function compliant.
The problems we are aware of include:
- Ensure controls change appearance when they are selected (WCAG 2.0 AA 2.4.7)
- Ensure form controls have labels (WCAG 2.0 A 1.3.1)
- Add a submit button to all forms (WCAG 2.0 A 3.2.2)
- Ensure links explain they open in a new tab (WCAG 2.0 AAA 3.2.5)
Disproportionate burden
Documents from committee or council meetings
Some documents created after council meetings (such as minutes) may have been approved in their existing format by councillors and so cannot easily be changed. Identifying and changing these to be accessible would involve input and sign off from councillors who may no longer be serving, as well as council services. We believe this presents a disproportionate burden.
Section 106 agreements
Section 106 agreements produced between September 2020 and October 2021 are not accessible. We believe it is a disproportionate burden to make these documents accessible due to the cost and officer time involved.
If you would like an accessible version of an agreement that was created between September 2020 and October 2021, contact us at s106@greatercambridgeplanning.org.
Election documents
Many of the election documents are created by the government or the Electoral Commission and the format legally cannot be amended.
Recorded meeting video captions
We will use the auto-generated video captions for recorded live council meeting videos. We believe it is a disproportionate burden to review the auto-generated captions to recorded council meetings. However we will ensure any videos we produce will have the correct captions.
Cambridge Matters magazine
The online copy of our Cambridge Matters magazine is not accessible. The magazine is created for print. For example, the images do not contain alt text.
We believe it is a disproportionate burden to create a separate, fully accessible copy for the website, as each Cambridge City household receives a paper copy.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. We are working to fix any remaining documents that fall under this category or replace them with accessible HTML pages.
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 old newsletters.
We endeavour to ensure that all new documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
Documents provided by third parties
Some documents have been provided by third parties - we did not commission, create, or pay for these documents and so these are exempt from the accessibility regulations.
Live video
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Maps
Our maps are either not used for navigational purposes, or we provide information in another format if they are, and so are exempt from the accessibility regulations.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 6 August 2019. It was last reviewed on 5 August 2024.
