Accessible Website Design

For council websites and local authority websites

An accessible council website isn’t just a legal or compliance consideration - it’s a commitment to making your digital presence work for everyone, regardless of how they browse, read, or interact online. At Aqueous, we design and build websites that meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA and AAA standards, and we carry out thorough accessibility audits to help businesses and public sector organisations identify barriers, meet their obligations, and reach the widest possible audience.

With a wealth of accessibility experience in our design team, we bring both technical rigour and genuine care to every project. Whether you’re commissioning a new site or looking to improve an existing one, we can help you create an online presence that is inclusive, compliant, and built to last.

Our accessibility services cover everything from WCAG 2.2 audits and accessibility statements to remediation support, screen reader testing, colour contrast analysis, keyboard navigation reviews, and accessible PDF assessment. We work with a wide range of organisations - from small businesses and charities to local authorities and public sector bodies - helping them meet the requirements of the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations, the Equality Act 2010, and EN 301 549. Every audit is delivered with a clear, prioritised remediation plan so you know exactly what needs fixing and why.

Let’s Talk

Accessibility Audits & Remediation

We carry out detailed WCAG 2.2 accessibility audits - combining automated tools with expert manual testing - and deliver clear, actionable reports that help businesses, charities, and public sector organisations understand and resolve accessibility barriers efficiently. Our audit process covers the full scope of WCAG 2.2 Level AA and AAA requirements, including screen reader usability, keyboard-only navigation, colour contrast ratios, accessible forms, document accessibility, image alt text, video captions, and focus order - assessed across both desktop and mobile.

GET YOUR FREE ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT

WCAG 2.2 Compliance

We design, develop, and maintain WCAG 2.2 compliant websites that are accessible, inclusive, and built to the latest web standards. From semantic HTML structure and keyboard-navigable layouts to accessible forms, sufficient colour contrast, and screen reader compatibility, every site we build is designed to work for all users - whether they rely on assistive technology or not - and to meet your legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

Guidance & Support

Maintaining an accessible website requires consistent, informed content practices across your whole team. Our accessible content guidance covers the key areas where issues most commonly arise - including manual captioning for video content, creating and uploading accessible PDFs, writing descriptive alt text for images, avoiding text-in-image graphics, using correct heading structures, and ensuring links are meaningfully labelled. We help your staff build good habits so that accessibility is maintained long after your initial audit or website build is complete.

PPerceivable

OOperable

UUnderstandable

RRobust

The four POUR principles behind WCAG 2.2

Accessible by design, not as an afterthought.

True web accessibility isn’t something you retrofit - it’s something you build in from the very first decision. Our web design and development process is structured around WCAG 2.2 success criteria at every stage, from initial wireframing and content architecture through to final testing and launch. The result is a website that is genuinely usable by the widest possible audience, including people with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.

Every site we design addresses the four core principles of accessible web design - Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR) - across all devices and browsers. In practice, that means:

Logical page structure and hierarchy - content organised with correct heading levels, landmark regions, and intuitive navigation patterns
Colour contrast and visual clarity - text and interface elements that meet or exceed WCAG 2.2 contrast requirements for all users
Full keyboard and assistive technology support - layouts and interactions that work without a mouse, and are compatible with screen readers and alternative input devices
Meaningful alternative text and multimedia accessibility - images, video, and audio content described and captioned correctly
Accessible forms and interactive components - clearly labelled fields, helpful error messages, and interactions that behave predictably for all users

Accessibility auditing and ongoing strategy.

A WCAG 2.2 compliant website isn’t a destination - it’s an ongoing commitment. Standards evolve, content changes, and new features introduce new potential barriers. Our accessibility auditing service gives you a clear, expert assessment of where your website stands right now, and our strategic guidance helps you put the right processes in place so accessibility remains embedded in everything you do going forward.

Whether you’re responding to a complaint, preparing for a public sector accessibility regulations deadline, or simply want to understand your current position, our audits provide the clarity and direction you need. Each review combines automated scanning with rigorous manual testing - including keyboard-only evaluation and screen reader testing across multiple assistive technologies - and is assessed against the full WCAG 2.2 Level AA and AAA success criteria.

Our accessibility auditing service includes:

Comprehensive automated and manual testing - using industry-standard tools alongside expert human evaluation to surface issues that automated scanners alone cannot detect
Detailed audit reports with prioritised findings - structured by severity and mapped to specific WCAG 2.2 criteria, so your development team has a precise remediation roadmap
Accessibility statements - drafted or reviewed to meet the requirements of the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations
Strategic accessibility planning - helping you embed accessibility governance into your content workflows, design processes, and procurement decisions
Ongoing consultancy and team support - so you have expert guidance available as your website grows and evolves

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does WCAG 2.2 AA mean for a council website?

It is the accessibility standard UK public sector websites must meet under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. Level AA covers things like colour contrast, keyboard use, screen reader support and clear forms. Councils must also publish an accessibility statement explaining any parts that do not yet comply.

Do small councils and parish councils need an accessible website?

Yes. Parish councils and most local authorities count as public sector bodies, so their websites must meet WCAG AA and carry an accessibility statement. Very small bodies are not exempt. We can audit your current site and build or fix it to the standard.

Ready to talk?

Based in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, and working with customers across the UK. Get in touch any of these ways:

CALL US

01934 524 663

EMAIL US

hello@aqpu.co.uk

07919 072705

Don’t just take our word for it…

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Excellent 5.0 from 25 Google reviews

I would highly recommend this printing company! When I contacted them for my first flyer order, I wasnâ€™t completely sure about â€¦
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Anhelina Haiova
Summer 2026 · Google★★★★★

A wonderful service from start to finish. Andrew was polite and efficient. He made many helpful suggestions which ensured a quality end product. He is very knowledgeable and goes above and beyond to ensure his clients are happy.

Sian Pointing
24 July 2026 · Google★★★★★

Excellent service from my first phone call with Andy and delivery ahead of schedule and the print quality is brilliant .Andy has helped bring the cost of printing down as I am doing a big fundraising charity event in aid of The Alzheimers Society

david kingsbury
17 June 2026 · Google★★★★★

I have worked with Andy on a number of projects for my business including our new website. He has been a tremendous help and the final product is fantastic.Nothing is too much trouble and we are over the moon with what he has done so many thanks Miles

Miles Bradley
16 March 2026 · Google★★★★★

Andrew has been great from start to finish , very helpful and professional. Great standard of work. Would definitely highly recommend.

Clean Bins
26 February 2026 · Google★★★★★

Andrew was incredibly helpful in making a website for my company, very helpful and fairly priced, highly recommend!!

Adam Kyle
26 February 2026 · Google★★★★★

Fantastic service, extremely helpful and very friendly, highly recommend

Anna Kingsley-George
30 January 2026 · Google★★★★★

I needed a logo for a new business set up and was very impressed by my experience with Aqueous design. Andy was very professional and answered my emails without delay. Although this is something I had never done before, he was able to make the experience so easy. I would have no hesitation in using Aqueous design again, or indeed recommending them to anyone else.

Liz Ansell
14 October 2025 · Google★★★★★

Andy at Aqueous has been helping me and my career for over 10 years and has built several excellent websites for me and produced excellent artwork and literature too! He's the first person I think of when needing IT and design support

Luke Potter
27 August 2025 · Google★★★★★

Excellent service â€“ very professional, with great advice throughout. The print quality is outstanding. Highly recommended!

Angelina Cebotari
26 August 2025 · Google★★★★★

Great company to deal with. Fast efficient, quality of marketing is always very high. And has helped us gain more business.

p c
9 July 2025 · Google★★★★★

This is the 2nd occasion I have dealt with Andrew at Aqueous Design. For both my books Andrew has been the cover designer and typesetter/formatter. This is exacting work involving multiple proofs and Andrew has produced outstanding results â€¦
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Barry Davies
Google review★★★★★

Andrew originally designed and set up my website which is fab, I get great feedback about how professional it is, he has also recently added lots of updates and additional services. Iâ€™ve recently had a technical issue and Andrew is so â€¦
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Helen Whittle
Google review★★★★★