This accessibility statement applies to https://heritage.portsmouth.gov.uk
This website has been built by Idox Software Ltd on behalf of Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth City Council is responsible for updating the content of this website.
We want as many people as possible to be able to use the website. So you should be able to:
- change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
- zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software
- listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)
We also aim to make the website text as simple as possible to understand.
What to do if you can’t access parts of this website
If you find any problems not listed on this statement, think we are not meeting accessibility requirements, or need information from this website in an alternative format, please email us: HER@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
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 are not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Compliance status
The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard because of the non-compliances listed below.
Non compliant content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Some of our older PDFs and other documents are not formatted so they’re accessible to a screen reader. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, role value). Any new documents we publish should meet accessibility standards where they are required for essential services or users who are likely to have disabilities or impairments. The accessibility regulations don’t 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 don’t plan to fix old PDF publications that might still be published and accessed through our website.Maps
Online maps and mapping services are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. Where maps are intended for navigational use we will ensure that essential information is provided in an accessible digital manner.
Images and alternative text
Some images don't include a meaningful text alternative so people using a screen reader are not provided with an accurate description of what the image presents. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content). We plan to add a meaningful alternative text to all images by April 2027.
Page title
Some pages don't have a page title, which makes it more difficult for users to orient themselves, especially those with cognitive or visual disabilities. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (information and relationships).
Keyboard navigation and focus
Some interactive elements are not fully accessible to users who rely on keyboard navigation.
Issues identified include:
• the “Skip to content” link is not visible when it receives keyboard focus
• the previous and next controls on the homepage carousel do not provide a visible keyboard focus indicator
• the keyboard focus order on some map controls does not match the visual order of the controls
• focus does not always move logically to newly displayed content within map menus
• the print button on some record pages becomes obscured when it receives keyboard focus
These issues fail the following WCAG 2.2 success criteria:
• 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A)
• 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA)
• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA)
Carousel controls
The homepage carousel does not automatically pause when keyboard users navigate to it. This may make moving content difficult to read or interact with.
This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.2, Pause, Stop, Hide (Level A).
Search and map functionality
Some search and map functionality cannot be fully used with a keyboard.
Issues identified include:
• links within some information pop-ups cannot be accessed using a keyboard
• some search filter drop-down lists trap keyboard focus
• focus does not remain visible when navigating long option lists in certain search filters
• keyboard users may need to navigate through unrelated or previously encountered controls before reaching newly displayed content within map menus
These issues fail the following WCAG 2.2 success criteria:
• 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A)
• 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap (Level A)
• 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A)
• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA)
Issue under investigation
Automated testing identified an empty button element within the website code.
We are investigating whether this element is exposed to users and whether it has an accessible name. If confirmed, this may fail WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2, Name, Role, Value (Level A).
What we're doing to improve accessibility
We want to make sure this website is inclusive for everyone and meets legal web accessibility requirements.
To achieve this, we will:
• continue monitoring our website for issues using the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
• carry out manual checks for problems that software can't detect
• perform a formal accessibility audit at least once every 12 months
• aim to produce information in more accessible formats, such as easy read guides
• work with our website supplier to investigate and resolve the accessibility issues identified during testing
We'll update our accessibility statement when we find issues that will take time to resolve and when we carry out an audit.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 4 September 2026. It was last reviewed on 12 October 2026 following an accessibility audit.
This website was last tested on 7 October 2026 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
We used a combination of methods to test the accessibility of this website, including:
• automatic testing using the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
• manual testing
All unique content pages have been tested, along with at least one example of each templated page. The audit included testing of the homepage, map functionality, search functionality and an individual HER (Historic Environment Record) record page.