Accessibility statement for Shildon Civic Hall

This accessibility statement applies to the website shildoncivichall.co.uk.

This website is operated by Shildon Town Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website, regardless of ability or the technology they use.

We are working to ensure that users can:

  • enlarge text using browser or device settings
  • navigate the website using a keyboard
  • use screen-reader and speech-recognition software
  • understand the website’s text and navigation
  • access information in an alternative format where required

How accessible this website is

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

  • some PDF menus, brochures and other documents may not have the correct heading structure, tags or reading order
  • some images may have missing, generic or insufficient alternative text
  • a small number of buttons generated by the website theme or gallery system may not have an accessible name
  • some information presented in promotional images or posters may not be fully available as accessible webpage text
  • content supplied through third-party services may not meet the same accessibility standards as the main website

The website contains several current PDF menus. An initial review indicates that the extracted reading order of some documents may not follow the intended visual order, with prices and descriptions sometimes separated from their corresponding items. This may make those documents difficult to understand with screen-reading software.

Feedback and contact information

Please tell us if you:

  • find an accessibility problem that is not listed in this statement
  • think we are not meeting accessibility requirements
  • need information in a different format, such as accessible HTML, large print, easy read, audio or an accessible PDF

You can contact Shildon Civic Hall by:

Email: civichall@shildon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01388 772902

Address:

Shildon Civic Hall
Civic Hall Square
Shildon
County Durham
DL4 1AH

You can also use the contact form on the Contact Us page.

We aim to acknowledge accessibility enquiries within two working days and provide a full response or accessible alternative within five working days where reasonably possible. The published contact details and address are confirmed on the Civic Hall website.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations.

If you are not satisfied with how we respond to your accessibility complaint, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service for advice and assistance. The GOV.UK model statement requires public-sector accessibility statements to include this enforcement information.

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Shildon Town Council is committed to improving the accessibility of this website and meeting the requirements of the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard because of the non-compliances listed below.

The current GOV.UK model statement identifies WCAG 2.2 AA as the standard against which public-sector websites should report their compliance.

Non-accessible content

Images and alternative text

Some images may have missing, generic or insufficient alternative text. This may prevent screen-reader users from understanding the purpose or content of those images.

This may not meet:

  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1: Non-text Content

We are reviewing images throughout the website and will provide meaningful alternative text where an image conveys information. Decorative images will be hidden from assistive technology where appropriate.

We aim to complete this work by 31 October 2026.

PDF documents

Some PDF menus, brochures and other documents may:

  • lack document headings and tags
  • have an incorrect or confusing reading order
  • use visual positioning instead of an accessible document structure
  • be difficult to navigate using a screen reader
  • contain information that is not also available as accessible HTML

This may not meet:

  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1: Info and Relationships
  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.2: Meaningful Sequence
  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6: Headings and Labels

We will review frequently used and current documents first. Where practical, information will be provided as accessible webpage content as well as, or instead of, a PDF.

We aim to review the active menus and principal public documents by 31 December 2026.

Anyone who needs an accessible version before this work is completed can contact us using the details above.

Buttons and interactive controls

Some buttons generated by the website theme, gallery or lightbox system may not have a visible or programmatically determined accessible name.

This may make the purpose of the control unclear to screen-reader users and may not meet:

  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2: Name, Role, Value

We are adding accessible names to these controls or removing controls that are no longer required.

We aim to complete this work by 31 October 2026.

Information contained in images

Some event posters and promotional graphics may contain text that is not fully reproduced on the webpage or described in the image’s alternative text.

This may not meet:

  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1: Non-text Content
  • WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.5: Images of Text

When new posters are uploaded, we will provide the important event information as accessible webpage text wherever possible.

Disproportionate burden

We are not currently claiming that correcting any of the issues listed in this statement would be a disproportionate burden.

Content outside the scope of the accessibility regulations

Some third-party content that is not funded, developed or controlled by Shildon Town Council may fall outside the scope of the accessibility regulations.

We will still try to provide an accessible alternative where third-party content prevents someone from obtaining important information or using a service.

What we are doing to improve accessibility

We are:

  • correcting missing and unsuitable image alternative text
  • improving the accessible names of buttons and controls
  • reviewing the keyboard operation of menus, forms and galleries
  • reviewing active PDF documents
  • providing important document information as accessible HTML where practical
  • checking colour contrast and visible keyboard focus
  • considering accessibility whenever new pages, images and documents are published
  • carrying out regular automated checks and manual reviews

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 5 August 2026.

It was prepared following a self-assessment of representative website pages and documents by Shildon Town Council and its website provider, Parish Web & Host.

The assessment included a review of:

  • the homepage
  • website navigation
  • the Contact Us page and enquiry form
  • representative content pages
  • images and image alternatives
  • buttons and interactive controls
  • current PDF menus and documents

Automated testing can identify many accessibility problems, but it cannot establish full WCAG compliance on its own. Manual keyboard, screen-reader, zoom and content testing will therefore form part of the continuing review.

This statement was last reviewed on 5 August 2026.

It will be reviewed at least once every year and whenever substantial changes are made to the website. GOV.UK recommends reviewing accessibility statements regularly and at least annually.