Council Rubbish Collection Accessibility Statement

This Accessibility Statement explains how our Council Rubbish Collection and related waste services meet recognised accessibility standards and what residents can expect. We aim to make the rubbish collection service clear, usable and inclusive for everyone, including people who use assistive technologies. The statement covers compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA, keyboard navigation, and screen-reader support for information about council waste collection schedules, service changes and bin placement guidance.

We design content about the local rubbish collection to be understandable and operable. Our published schedules, property-specific instructions and service notices follow WCAG 2.1 AA principles where practical. That means text alternatives for images, sufficient colour contrast, consistent navigation and clear headings. If a page describes a special collection or recycling event, we ensure that the information is structured so it is easy to scan and to navigate using a keyboard or assistive tools.

For residents relying on assistive technology, our rubbish collection pages use semantic HTML and ARIA where needed so screen readers announce the content in a meaningful order. We test major screen readers and common browsers to improve compatibility. Service maps, route notices and collection alerts are provided in accessible formats or in plain text alternatives so that people who use text-to-speech or braille displays can access the same information as visual users.

We prioritise keyboard navigation across the council's rubbish collection content: menus, links to bin calendars, and collection update banners are reachable and operable without a mouse. Use the Tab key to move between interactive elements and Shift+Tab to move backwards. On-page controls use visible focus indicators and logical tab order so the rubbish collection service pages can be used efficiently with a keyboard or switch device.

To support people with cognitive or learning disabilities, we provide clear, concise language for the rubbish collection service, with step-by-step guidance where appropriate. Important information such as collection day changes, holiday schedules and service interruptions is presented with plain language summaries, and key actions are emphasised using underlined links and short bullet lists for quick reference:

• Check your collection day via the council's service lookup.
• Prepare bins according to the instructions (placement, lid closed, items inside).
• Report missed collections or request assistance through the council's accessibility request channels.

We regularly review our rubbish collection information against accessibility standards and perform user testing where possible. If we discover content that does not meet WCAG 2.1 AA, we schedule remediation and provide temporary alternatives. Our accessibility approach for the council waste collection service includes training for content authors so future notices, service changes and interactive forms remain accessible and inclusive.

If you encounter barriers when trying to access rubbish collection information ??? for example, inaccessible PDF schedules, maps that are not keyboard-friendly, or images without descriptive alternatives ??? please tell us. We will provide a suitable alternative format such as a plain text summary, a high-contrast PDF, or a telephone-based update through the council where required. While we cannot include direct contact details here, requests can be made through the council's official accessibility request pathways.

We are committed to ongoing improvement of the council rubbish collection service accessibility. To summarise our key commitments: comply with WCAG 2.1 AA where feasible, ensure robust screen-reader support, enable complete keyboard navigation, and offer alternative formats on request. Accessibility is a priority in service design, and we will continue to monitor and update content to make local council collection services usable for everyone.