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Accessibility Tools

Accessibility

Summary: We are aware of accessibility issues affecting the chatbot, the accessibility toolbar and some PDF documents. We are working with our suppliers and teams to fix these issues. Details are listed below in Non‑accessible content.

Accessibility Statement for Stroud District Council

This accessibility statement applies to the Stroud District Council website at www.stroud.gov.uk. It also applies to content hosted on sub‑sites under this domain unless otherwise stated. Some services may be provided on separate domains by third‑party suppliers; those services will publish their own accessibility statements where applicable.

Compliance Status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard due to the non‑compliances listed in the ‘Non‑Accessible Content’ section. Work is ongoing to resolve these issues, and new processes are being introduced to ensure future content and features meet accessibility requirements.

How accessible this website is

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 400% 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

We also aim to write content in plain English and ensure our pages are structured with proper headings.

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible, and we are working to fix them. Details are listed in the Non‑accessible content section below.

If you need help using your device’s built‑in accessibility features, AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use. 

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:

We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 10 working 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.

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS): www.equalityadvisoryservice.com

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Stroud District Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non‑compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The following accessibility issues have been identified through testing and have not yet been fully resolved:

  • Some buttons, links and other interface elements do not always meet colour contrast requirements, particularly in hover and focus states, at high zoom levels, and on mobile devices (WCAG 1.4.3, 1.4.11).
  • Some text and interface elements do not reflow correctly at high zoom levels. For example, in a third‑party chatbot, placeholder text is partially cut off at 200% zoom (WCAG 1.4.10, 1.4.4). A fix is planned by June 2026.
  • Some images do not have appropriate alternative text (WCAG 1.1.1).
  • Keyboard navigation and focus visibility can be problematic in some third‑party components, including an accessibility toolbar where focus is not always visible (WCAG 2.1.1, 2.4.3, 2.4.7).
  • Some PDF documents are not fully accessible, including issues with colour contrast and document structure. Work is ongoing to improve or replace inaccessible PDFs, and procedures are being introduced to ensure new documents meet accessibility standards. (WCAG 1.4.3, 1.3.1).
  • Some interactive elements (such as buttons, form fields or links) can become partially hidden when they receive keyboard focus. This means keyboard users may not always be able to see which element is currently selected, especially when parts of the interface overlap or when using embedded third‑party components. (WCAG 2.4.11)
  • Some pages do not have clear or descriptive page titles. This can make it harder for users — particularly screen reader users — to understand what a page is about or to navigate between open browser tabs.  Work is ongoing to address this, and procedures are being put in place to ensure all new and updated pages have appropriate titles. (WCAG 2.4.2)

These issues are being actively reviewed and addressed. Where services are provided by third‑party suppliers, we are working with them to improve accessibility. If planned fixes or upgrades do not fully resolve an issue, we will assess alternative approaches to ensure users can access the service.

Disproportionate burden None.

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

  • PDFs and other documents published before 23 September 2018
  • Live video streams without captions

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We are actively working to fix the accessibility issues identified on this website. This includes updating content and improving functionality.

Some services used on this website are provided by third‑party suppliers. We work with suppliers to improve accessibility, but some fixes depend on their release schedules. Where a third‑party platform does not meet accessibility standards, we will:

  • raise issues with the supplier,
  • document known issues and any workarounds or alternative routes, and
  • aim to replace or improve the integration where feasible.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 15 December 2025.
It was last reviewed on 19 February 2026.

The website was tested using axeDevTools and Siteimprove, combined with manual checks.