Accessibility Statement

Accessibility statement for www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

This accessibility statement applies to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's website: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

This website is run by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.

AccessAngel Accessibility Toolbar

The Mid and East Antrim Borough Council website includes AccessAngel Accessibility Toolbar.

AccessAngel adds speech, reading and translation support tools to online content.

It works on all major browsers and platforms, including mobile phones and tablets.

Simply click on the AccessAngel icon located at the bottom left on all web pages and you will see it dock to the top of your screen.

Then click on the first ‘pointed finger’ icon on the toolbar and hover your mouse pointer over any text on our website to hear it read out loud.

The AccessAngel Toolbar will help you to read and translate the content on our website.

Its features include:

Text-to-speech: click on or select any text to hear it read aloud
Translation: translate content into over 100 languages
Text magnification: enlarge text and hear it read out loud
Screen mask: reduce glare with a tinted mask
Web page simplifier: remove clutter from the screen. Display only the main text

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
not all PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software
Council meeting agendas and meeting packs are only available as non-text content PDFs and therefore not accessible to screen reader software
live video streams do not have captions
you cannot skip to the main content when using a screen reader

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:

Email: communications@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Call: 0300 124 5000

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

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website.

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, email us at communications@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

Complaints and Enforcement

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’) in Northern Ireland.

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI).

The legal standard is WCAG 2.2 level AA.

Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person

Find out how to contact us.

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Mid & East Antrim Borough 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

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

The legal standard is WCAG 2.2 level AA.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Some of our pre-recorded audio and video do not have captions (WCAG A 1.2.2).

Some images do not have a text alternative, so people using a screen reader cannot access the information.
This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content).
We plan to add text alternatives for all images.
When we publish new content we’ll make sure our use of images meets accessibility standards.
Visible keyboard tab focus is unavailable on the homepage carousel (directly after the ‘View more services’ button).
The social media icons in the footer and the live chat icon do not receive visible tab focus.
There are colour contrast issues when blue and white are used, for example, the ‘View more services’ button on the home page.
Some of our PDF documents, online forms and third-party products are not accessible:
- PDF documents: The following PDFs are inaccessible, but if you need them in another format, please email communications@midandeastantrim.gov.uk
  - Financial Reports
  - Local Development Plan library
    The documentation that forms part of the draft Plan Strategy Document Library process is displayed within a document library on the website.
    
    There are 200 PDFs, varying in page length, in this section.
    
    In accordance with the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and The Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, the Council is required to make, publish and provide access to the documents that form part of the Local Development Plan and supporting Evidence Base.
    
    The Local Development Plan library will remain as inaccessible PDFs on the website and not meet WCAG 1.1.1 (Non-text content) and WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships: Content is not tagged).
    
    However, if you need to access a document in the Local Development Plan library in another format, please email planning@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.
  - Some of our Policies and Documents are currently inaccessible.
    We plan to provide alternative HTML page versions of these documents.

Our intention is that any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Table of non-complaint content

Issue and description	Where the issue was found
WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard Users should be able to use a keyboard to access all content and functionality of a web page. This means the page can be used by people with no vision as well as people who use alternative keyboards or input devices that act as a keyboard.	The link 'Manage Cookies', in the footer of the webpage, is not accessible using the keyboard
WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible A visible focus helps users know which element has keyboard focus and where they are on the page. When an element gets focus there should be a visible border around it. Highlighting the element that has keyboard focus or is hovered over can provide information like whether the element is interactive or the scope of that element. Operating systems have a native indication of focus, which is available in many browsers. The default display of the focus indicator is not always highly visible and may even be difficult to see especially on coloured backgrounds.	The keyboard focus becomes lost for 6 keyboard tabs when it tabs into the carousel under 'View more services' The keyboard focus is not visible on the social media icons at the bottom of the webpage
WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow Reflow or ‘responsive web design’ helps users with low vision who may need to enlarge text on a webpage and read it in a single column without scrolling in more than one direction. It also helps users who are viewing the page on a mobile device. If a page does not support reflow it can appear smaller and more difficult to use or content may be cut off. Navigation menus often collapse into fewer items or into a single menu button to take up less space. All content and functionality must still be fully available.	At 400% zoom, once expanded, the accessibility toolbar does not reflow to fit the webpage correctly as elements are partially cut off. The accessibility toolbar may have further accessibility issues and is being reviewed.
WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum): Elements must have sufficient colour contrast. Poor colour contrast makes it difficult for someone with sight loss to see the content properly. If there is a big difference between the background and foreground colours it should be much easier to see the difference between them.	There are multiple elements across the webpage that do not have sufficient colour contrast. This includes: the placeholder text within the search bar the published dates for links under 'Latest News' all buttons across the webpage such as 'View more services', 'Prev' and 'Discover More' the second 'Contact Us' link within the sidebar the 'Send' button at the bottom of the form. This includes when the keyboard tabs onto it. the buttons 'Council Direct' and 'Use our webform' the 'About Us' link within the sidebar On the A-Z page, when the mouse hovers over the row of letters at the top of the webpage they do not have sufficient colour contrast
WCAG 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) Users who navigate a website using a keyboard need to know where they are on a page. A focused element must not be hidden by other content on the screen. Components such as menus, cookie prompts and pop-up messages can hide focused elements and cause people to lose their place. Focused elements must always be at least partially visible.	At 400% zoom, once the accessibility toolbar has been expanded, the keyboard can move to the page content behind it if it tabs away from the accessibility pop up. This results in all links across the webpage being obscured by the accessibility toolbar. At 200% zoom, when the cookie banner is open, the keyboard focus can move to the page content behind it if the user tabs away from the menu. This results in the focused element being completely hidden from view. At 400% zoom, all content across the webpage is covered whilst it receives keyboard focus. At 200% zoom and more, when the hamburger menu is expanded, the keyboard focus can move to the page content behind it if the user tabs away from the menu. This results in the focused element being completely hidden from view, such as 'Report It' and 'Grants and Funding'.
WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content People with sight loss may not see an image clearly on a page. You need to use a text alternative to share the information. The alternative text must describe the information or function represented by the image. Screen readers can share the alternative text with the user. In PDF documents you must ensure that images are tagged correctly with alternative text.	Our Meeting Packs for Council meetings may have multiple images that do not have alternative text.
WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Content is not tagged. Assistive technologies like screen readers rely on correct markup within documents to understand and show the correct information to a user. Content in documents should be tagged to provide information about structured content such as headings, tables, lists, paragraphs and form fields.	Our Meeting Packs for Council meetings may have elements that are not correctly tagged.

Issue and description

Where the issue was found

WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard

Users should be able to use a keyboard to access all content and functionality of a web page.

This means the page can be used by people with no vision as well as people who use alternative keyboards or input devices that act as a keyboard.

The link 'Manage Cookies', in the footer of the webpage, is not accessible using the keyboard

WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible

A visible focus helps users know which element has keyboard focus and where they are on the page.

When an element gets focus there should be a visible border around it.

Highlighting the element that has keyboard focus or is hovered over can provide information like whether the element is interactive or the scope of that element.

Operating systems have a native indication of focus, which is available in many browsers.

The default display of the focus indicator is not always highly visible and may even be difficult to see especially on coloured backgrounds.

The keyboard focus becomes lost for 6 keyboard tabs when it tabs into the carousel under 'View more services'

The keyboard focus is not visible on the social media icons at the bottom of the webpage

WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

Reflow or ‘responsive web design’ helps users with low vision who may need to enlarge text on a webpage and read it in a single column without scrolling in more than one direction.

It also helps users who are viewing the page on a mobile device.

If a page does not support reflow it can appear smaller and more difficult to use or content may be cut off.

Navigation menus often collapse into fewer items or into a single menu button to take up less space. All content and functionality must still be fully available.

At 400% zoom, once expanded, the accessibility toolbar does not reflow to fit the webpage correctly as elements are partially cut off.

The accessibility toolbar may have further accessibility issues and is being reviewed.

WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum): Elements must have sufficient colour contrast.

Poor colour contrast makes it difficult for someone with sight loss to see the content properly.

If there is a big difference between the background and foreground colours it should be much easier to see the difference between them.

There are multiple elements across the webpage that do not have sufficient colour contrast.

This includes:

the placeholder text within the search bar
the published dates for links under 'Latest News'
all buttons across the webpage such as 'View more services', 'Prev' and 'Discover More'
the second 'Contact Us' link within the sidebar
the 'Send' button at the bottom of the form.
This includes when the keyboard tabs onto it.
the buttons 'Council Direct' and 'Use our webform'
the 'About Us' link within the sidebar
On the A-Z page, when the mouse hovers over the row of letters at the top of the webpage they do not have sufficient colour contrast

WCAG 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

Users who navigate a website using a keyboard need to know where they are on a page.

A focused element must not be hidden by other content on the screen.

Components such as menus, cookie prompts and pop-up messages can hide focused elements and cause people to lose their place.

Focused elements must always be at least partially visible.

At 400% zoom, once the accessibility toolbar has been expanded, the keyboard can move to the page content behind it if it tabs away from the accessibility pop up.

This results in all links across the webpage being obscured by the accessibility toolbar.

At 200% zoom, when the cookie banner is open, the keyboard focus can move to the page content behind it if the user tabs away from the menu.

This results in the focused element being completely hidden from view.

At 400% zoom, all content across the webpage is covered whilst it receives keyboard focus.

At 200% zoom and more, when the hamburger menu is expanded, the keyboard focus can move to the page content behind it if the user tabs away from the menu.

This results in the focused element being completely hidden from view, such as 'Report It' and 'Grants and Funding'.

WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content

People with sight loss may not see an image clearly on a page.

You need to use a text alternative to share the information.

The alternative text must describe the information or function represented by the image.

Screen readers can share the alternative text with the user.

In PDF documents you must ensure that images are tagged correctly with alternative text.

Our Meeting Packs for Council meetings may have multiple images that do not have alternative text.

WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Content is not tagged.

Assistive technologies like screen readers rely on correct markup within documents to understand and show the correct information to a user.

Content in documents should be tagged to provide information about structured content such as headings, tables, lists, paragraphs and form fields.

Our Meeting Packs for Council meetings may have elements that are not correctly tagged.

Disproportionate burden

We are not claiming a disproportionate burden for this website.

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 plan to either fix these 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 our 2015 - 2019 Corporate Plan section where the content was published pre-2018.

Any new service-based PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Live video

We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

Third-party suppliers

e.g. Jobs section, Waste Bot, Tascomi platform, Survey Monkey forms and MS Forms where applicable, also Grants Portal.

Method of preparation

This statement was prepared following issues highlighted by the Cabinet Office's Government Digital Services team and reviewed by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's website contractor and an external website audit which identified findings and recommendations.

Findings from the review determined key accessibility limitations with the current Content Management System of the website and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are actively working towards developing a new website which will meet the majority of WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirements.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 16 April 2022.

It was last reviewed on 4 December 2025.

We will continue to review our accessibility status and update the statement when needed.