Bepton Parish Council recognises and values the provision of information on this website in a format which is accessible to all, regardless of ability or disability.

To ensure that this happens, we have developed our website to the accessibility guidelines. The site is developed using valid HTML and cascading style sheets (CSS). Our site content is separated from presentational elements, which makes it available to any visitors that use technologies such as a screen reader or text only browser.

We try to maintain WAI Level AA accessibility

The government requires that all public sector websites – whether for central or local government – should meet the W3C’s guidelines on accessibility to WAI Level AA standard.

We strive to achieve and maintain levels of accessibility that conform to the AA standard, but recognise that it is very hard for a website to maintain such compliance. We cannot guarantee our compliance since it is difficult to be certain that 100% compliance is being maintained.

Through further development of our web services we strive to improve our compliance and aim to meet as many of the WAI Level AAA guidelines as are achievable.

What is an accessible website?

An accessible site is one that accommodates the full range of users. Designing for accessibility therefore means accepting that, for online information, there is:

• No standard information user
• No standard device for browsing information

An accessible website does not exclude anybody due to:

• Their abilities
• The method they choose to access the web

Accessible websites prioritise clear content, structure and ease of navigation over high technology aspects of design, however they also need not be visually unattractive, nor are they prevented from using the latest web technologies, provided that all information is still accessible to users.

The Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act has brought about new rights for disabled peoples. Employers and service providers must not discriminate against a person for a reason connected with their disability. They must also make reasonable adjustments to the way in which they offer their services. This applies as much to websites as it does to ensure that wheelchair access to council buildings is possible.

But accessibility is not just about ensuring that disabled people can access information. It is also about ensuring that the wide variety of users and devices can all gain access to information, thereby maximising the potential audience and letting users experience the pages the way they choose to.

Change text size

You may also use your browser settings to change the text size for this websites. However the technique for doing this is slightly different depending on the browser that you use. Please consult the documentation provided with your browser to find the best option available to you.

Further Information

Bepton Parish Council strives to meet the needs of computer users with visual impairment or other conditions that limit accessibility. If you would like assistance with this, please email: info.beptonparishcouncil@gmail.com