This accessibility statement applies to the Chandler's Ford Parish Council website at https://chandlersford-pc.gov.uk/.

This website is managed by Chandler's Ford Parish Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.

How Accessible This Website Is

We are committed to making this website accessible. Here is what you can do:

• Navigate the entire website using just a keyboard
• Use screen reader software to read page content — all pages declare the correct language (en-GB) for accurate pronunciation
• Zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen (content reflows correctly at narrow viewport widths)
• Access all images via descriptive alternative text
• Identify PDF links and new window links through accessible labels
• Use forms with properly associated labels and clear, field-specific error messages

Compliance Status

This website is partially conformant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 Level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard due to known third-party component limitations documented below.

An accessibility audit was conducted on 18 March 2026 by Smart Marketing using a combination of automated testing tools and manual verification. The audit examined all 53 pages of the website.

Of the 54 WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria, the website fully meets 40 criteria (74%), with 13 not applicable (24%) and 1 advisory criterion included as a best practice recommendation (2%). No criteria are assessed as failing.

The advisory criterion is 3.2.5 Change on Request, which is a Level AAA criterion — not required at Level AA. All PDF links and external links include accessible labels indicating the file format and/or that the link opens in a new tab.

Known Limitations with Third-Party Components

The following items relate to third-party plugins or components used on this website. These are not classified as WCAG failures but are documented here for transparency:

• The Local Events page contains a search and filter form provided by the Events Manager plugin. This form contains elements which do not currently meet WCAG 2.2 AA requirements for form labels and link text. This is a known limitation of the third-party component. We are monitoring for updates from the plugin developer and will implement fixes when they become available.
• The site navigation contains a search function provided by the PowerPack for Beaver Builder plugin. This generates duplicate form label IDs across responsive header variations. This is a known limitation of the third-party component and does not affect the functionality of the primary search facility, which works correctly and is fully accessible. We are monitoring for updates from the plugin developer.
• Map marker images on the Barton Peveril Collaboration and Parish Council Map pages are rendered by Leaflet.js with appropriate alternative text, role and keyboard accessibility attributes. These elements are correctly implemented as interactive keyboard-accessible controls and meet WCAG 2.2 AA requirements.
• The Local Events page displays event thumbnail images alongside visible event titles. Some automated tools may report these as redundant alternative text. This is intentional — image alternative text reflects the event name and the visible text link conveys the same information. This is not a WCAG failure.
• The homepage news carousel (Beaver Builder Post Carousel module) uses aria-hidden="true" on inactive slides, which is standard carousel behaviour. Links within inactive slides may receive keyboard focus but are not announced by screen readers. This is a known limitation of the Beaver Builder carousel component. The cookie consent modal also uses aria-hidden="true" but is set to display:none when inactive, making its elements completely unreachable.

Content That Is Not Within the Scope of the Accessibility Regulations

The following content is exempt from the accessibility regulations:

• PDF documents published before 23 September 2018, unless they are essential to the services we provide
• Third-party content that is not funded by, or under the control of, Chandler's Ford Parish Council (for example, embedded Google Maps or social media feeds)

What Works Well

The audit identified the following areas where the website performs well for accessibility:

• Language attribute correctly set to en-GB on all pages, ensuring screen readers use appropriate pronunciation
• Proper semantic landmark structure (header, nav, main, footer) across all pages supports navigational accessibility
• Single H1 on each page provides clear page structure and heading hierarchy entry point
• Viewport meta tag correctly configured — zoom is not disabled, allowing users to enlarge content
• No keyboard traps detected across the site; focus is visible and logical tab order maintained
• Form validation messages are clear and field-specific, helping users identify and correct errors
• Contact form uses semantic HTML with proper label associations and autocomplete attributes
• Skip link is present in HTML source code on all pages
• No auto-playing video, audio, or animations that could distract or disorient users
• Landmark elements are correctly implemented with expected roles (navigation, main, contentinfo)
• Text contrast meets WCAG AA requirements across the site
• All images have appropriate, descriptive alt text
• Heading hierarchy follows a logical sequence without skipping levels
• All links have accessible names (no empty links)
• Form controls are properly labelled
• All PDF links include format indicator and new window warning via aria-label
• All visible iframes have descriptive title attributes

What We Are Doing to Improve Accessibility

We are committed to maintaining the accessibility of this website. Following the accessibility audit conducted in March 2026, the identified issues have been remediated. Our ongoing improvement plan includes:

• Monitoring third-party plugin updates (Events Manager, PowerPack for Beaver Builder, Beaver Builder) for accessibility fixes, and implementing them as they become available
• Ensuring all new content added to the website meets WCAG 2.2 AA standards, including meaningful alt text on images, correct heading hierarchy, and properly labelled form controls
• Running periodic accessibility checks using the WAVE browser extension when new content is published
• Reviewing this accessibility statement at least annually and after any significant changes to the website

Disproportionate Burden

We are not currently claiming that any accessibility issues present a disproportionate burden to fix.

What to Do If You Cannot Access Parts of This Website

If you need information from this website in a different format, you can request it from us. We will consider your request and aim to provide the information to you within 10 working days. Alternative formats may include:

• Large print
• Easy read format
• Audio recording
• Accessible PDF
• Braille

To request information in an alternative format, please contact us using the details below.

If you have difficulty accessing this website, you can also get help and advice from AbilityNet at https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/

Reporting Accessibility Problems with This Website

We are committed to making this website accessible. If you find any accessibility issues that are not listed on this page, or if you believe we are not meeting our accessibility obligations, please let us know.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of this website. If you have any suggestions for improvements or general feedback, please contact us:

• Email: clerk@chandlersford-pc.gov.uk
• Phone: 023 8026 6612
• Post: Chandler's Ford Parish Council, Fryern Hill Pavilion, Greenways, Chandler's Ford, SO53 2LE

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 are not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS): https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/

Technical Information About This Website's Accessibility

Chandler's Ford Parish Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is built using WordPress 6.7.2 as the content management system, with the Beaver Builder theme and a child theme for customisation. Page layouts are built using Beaver Builder page builder with Beaver Themer. The website uses HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and PHP, and is designed to be compatible with modern web browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

How This Statement Was Prepared

This statement was prepared in March 2026.

It was prepared based on findings from an accessibility audit conducted by Smart Marketing in March 2026. The audit examined all 53 pages of the website using:

• Automated browser testing using custom JavaScript analysis scripts to check page structure, heading hierarchy, link text, image alt text, form labels, ARIA attributes, colour contrast, and embedded content
• Manual testing using the WAVE accessibility evaluation tool on key pages
• Manual keyboard navigation testing to verify focus visibility and tab order
• Visual inspection for images of text, colour-only information, and auto-playing content

The full audit report is available from Chandler's Ford Parish Council on request.

This statement will be reviewed and updated by 01 March 2027, or sooner if significant changes are made to the website.