Sports field with goal posts and houses in the distance

Website accessibility statement

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is committed to making its websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (external website) (‘the Accessibility Regulations’)

This accessibility statement applies to www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk.

Compliance status

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

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is not accessible for the following reasons:

(a) Non-compliance with the Accessibility Regulations

Cookiebot banner

On the Privacy Policy and Data Protection page, when clicking the ‘View cookie policy’ button, the pop up requires the user to tab through the rest of the page content before interacting with the pop up. This may affect you if you are using a keyboard or other assistive technology to focus on this pop up.

This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.3 Focus order. This is an issue with our implementation of the third-party solution, Cookiebot.

We have raised this with Cookiebot and still hope to work towards a solution, but they have been unable to give us a timeline. We are now exploring alternative options and hope to find a way forward by December 2023.

Images

Not all images 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.

Links

Not all links use meaningful link text and/or specify whether the link goes to an external website or opens a new tab or window. This may make it difficult for people to know where a link is going to and could open a new tab or window without you knowing before you click it.

This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content, 2.4.4 Link purpose and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Video

The accessibility of embedded video content is dependent on the standards reached by the third-party provider, for example YouTube. Where possible we make use of features such as subtitles, transcripts and captions to ensure our content is accessible.

Some of our older videos that are within scope of the guidelines do not have subtitles, however our more recent ones do.

Some of our videos have subtitles that have been automatically generated and have not been reviewed by a human, which can lead to some errors in translation.

Some of our videos have meaningful visual content (e.g. animated text), but no audio track, description or transcript. Some of our videos having meaningful audio content (e.g. music or sound effect), but no captions.

This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.1 Audio only and video only (prerecorded), 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded), 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded), and 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded).

iFrames

Some iFrames are missing the ‘title’ attribute. This may make it difficult for people to know what content is contained in the iFrame before you interact with it, especially when using a screen reader.

Some iFrames have a title attribute but not a very meaningful one, for example title=“blank”.

This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks, and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Interactive tools, data visualisations and transactions

We sometimes publish and link to visual data using platforms such as Tableau (external website). This information is hosted on an external website and we make our information as accessible as the platform allows.

We are aware that the Tableau dashboards have multiple accessibility issues and are partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA.

We are committed to ensuring that all GMCA dashboards are as accessible as possible.  The GMCA Research Team is reviewing the issues, to identify an agreed approach and timeline to improve accessibility. This will be implemented in line with the update cycle for the dashboards.

Accessibility information for Tableau dashboards.

Not all data visualisations within documents can be made accessible. Where possible we will include the same information in plain text using list hierarchies alongside the visualisation and/or provide alt-text with the chart.

Where visual data cannot be shown, this fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content and 1.3.1 Info and relationships.

Forms

Some forms are in Word format and not an online web form. Word forms are not always accessible.

Some forms use Microsoft Forms and are dependent on Microsoft’s compliance standards (external website).

Some forms use the external iCasework system, including the form on the Enquiries and Contact pages. 

Accessiblity information for iCaseworker.

If you are unable to use the online forms, please telephone 0161 778 7000 or use our alternative contact methods.

Documents

Not all our documents are fully accessible.

Our more recent documents are mostly or partially compliant. Our focus is on meeting these core areas:

  • Text can be read by screen readers
  • Appropriate use of hierarchical, nested headers
  • PDF content tagged and in the correct order within the tag tree
  • Alt-text on images

For inaccessible PDFs, we ask content authors to provide a basic plain-text alternative, preferably in Open Document (ODT) or Microsoft Word formats.

Inaccessible aspects of some of our documents include:

  • Document not tagged, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Document does not have page title, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.2 Page Titled
  • Font size smaller than 12pt, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text
  • Reading order (tag tree) not in right order, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence, 2.1.1 Keyboard, 2.4.3 Focus order
  • Incorrect tags used (e.g. p-tags instead of list tags), failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Table of Contents tag not used, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Tables with irregular table rows, empty or merged cells, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content
  • Tables with header rows defined but scope not defined, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Links without alt-text, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content, 2.4.4 Link purpose and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.
  • Empty paragraph tags, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships.
  • Path objects not tagged, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Complex diagrams not explained in body text, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships
  • Alt-text too long, failing WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 Non-text content

Where documents are not in the format that you need, you can request an alternative by emailing our enquiries team.

Places for Everyone documents

Places for Everyone documents published on 14 February 2022 are partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA. For more information about accessibility related to Places for Everyone, please read the Places for Everyone accessibility information.

Documents created by third-party agencies

We ask content commissioners to include accessibility within their procurement processes, however we have found capability and compliance varies from agency to agency and content commissioners are not always able to check and challenge this.

Documents designed for print

Some older print documents may be inaccessible. Where newer print documents are also being made available online, publishers are asked to provide alternative HTML or plain text document versions. We also ask our publishers to create digital-first documents and ensure accessibility is considered at the start of the design process, regardless of whether it is a print-only or digital document.

Translated documents

Some of our documents are translated by a third-party translation service. Currently these documents are provided in a format that can be printed but not read online by screen readers.

This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationships.

(b) Disproportionate burden

Financial statements and accounts

The annual statement of accounts documents are not accessible and a claim of disproportionate burden is in place. The annual statement contains around 143 tables that have been placed as images and are so not accessible. Other changes relating to alt-text, reformatting e.g. font, spacing have been actioned and are accessible.

Places for Everyone

Some of the Places for Everyone evidence base (including those commissioned from third parties) is not accessible as it would be a disproportionate burden to update them, particularly those which are extremely technical, contain a high number of tables, and are used by a low number of people.

For more information about accessibility related to Places for Everyone, please read:

Accessibility information for Places for Everyone

(c) The content is not within the scope of accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

The Accessibility Regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services.

Video content

We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. We also have some existing pre-recorded video content that was published before 23 September 2020. This content is also exempt from the Accessibility Regulations.

Online maps

Our website includes the use of online maps. These are exempt under the Accessibility Regulations. Essential information, such as addresses, are also included by way of an accessible alternative. If you require the information presented in an online map in a different format, please contact us to discuss reasonable adjustments.

Third-party content outside our control

Third-party content that is neither funded nor developed by, nor under the control of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is exempt under the regulations.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was first prepared on 23 September 2019 following a comprehensive in-house audit that used a blend of manual and automated testing.

The statement was last reviewed and updated on 11 July 2023.

This site was last audited on 30 January 2023 by the Government Digital Service in November 2022. Different tests were completed by GDS to check against WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria. Testing was based on a sampling approach and limited to a fixed-time period (4-16 August 2022). This was not a full comprehensive audit.

A further audit and statement review is due November 2023.

Feedback and contact information

Reporting accessibility problems or requesting alternative formats

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, or if you need information on this website in a different format, please contact us:

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 (external website). 

EASS helpline 

The EASS provides information about discrimination and your rights. It has replaced the helpline service previously provided by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Equality Advisory and Support Service (external website)