MCS Accessibility Statement - GDS Customer Portal

Introduction

About this document

This accessibility statement provides information about the accessibility of the My

Council Services platform. It explains how we design, test, and maintain our V5

Customer Portal to meet current accessibility standards. We have also considered

guidance and best practice on web accessibility through user feedback, and where

possible we aim to go above and beyond compliance guidelines.

The purpose of this document is to inform users about our commitment to

accessibility and the measures we take to ensure our platform is usable by as many

people as possible, including those with disabilities.

Our commitment

We are committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including those with

sight loss, mobility impairments, and other accessibility needs. We aim to exceed

minimum accessibility standards wherever possible, guided by user feedback and

best practice.

Legal compliance

This statement is made in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and

Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and the Equality Act 2010.

These regulations require reasonable adjustments to be made for users with

disabilities.

Accessibility Statement

Web accessibility conformance

The Abavus My Council Services platform is designed to exceed the minimum

accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1 Level AA. It is currently fully compliant with

WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standards. Some elements, such as branding,

colours, or layout, can be configured by users; these customisations may affect

conformance.

We test our web pages and content against the WCAG 2.2 guidelines and make

improvements where necessary to meet the criteria. The criteria we test against are

taken from the technical standard Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2

(WCAG), published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

We are always striving to make improvements to the accessibility and usability of the

platform.

Compliance standards

We endeavour to always test with a wide range of technology, but we cannot always

commit to testing every browser version with every version of assistive technology,

nor testing on every operating system version or mobile handset type. We primarily

focus on testing with more recent technology, as this generally provides enhanced

security and improved accessibility features and support for users.

Technology used for testing

We test the platform using the following browsers and assistive technology

combinations:

• Microsoft Edge.

• Mozilla Firefox.

• Google Chrome.

• Apple iOS – iPhone and iPad with VoiceOver and Magnification.

• Android – Chrome with Talkback and Magnification.

• Windows High Contrast mode (Edge and Firefox).

• Screen readers and other assistive technologies.

• In-browser magnification up to 400 percent.

• Keyboard navigation only.

Third Party Functionality and Services

Within some small areas on our platform, we use third parties to deliver functionality

and services that we do not currently develop ourselves. Wherever possible, we

work with these parties to ensure that the service they provide achieves

conformance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

Some third-party components may have limitations in accessibility that are outside

the control of Abavus Ltd.

External Links

Please be aware we are not responsible for the content of external websites, nor any

accessibility issues that may be present on those websites.

Legacy Support

While we try to ensure support for older browsers, it is not always possible or

feasible to continue this support.

Improvements

We are committed to the continual improvement of the accessibility of our platform

and achieve this by:

• Performing regular accessibility audits

• Communicating with our customers and incorporating their feedback to

improve our services

• Staying informed of the latest best practice and evolving standards

Disproportionate burden

In rare cases, making specific content fully accessible may place an unreasonable or

disproportionate burden on the organisation. Where this occurs, we will conduct a

formal assessment and document the situation in line with accessibility regulations.

We remain committed to ensuring that all other areas of the platform are accessible

and that users can access the information and services they need.

We have not currently identified any areas where fixing accessibility issues would

represent a disproportionate burden.

Non-accessible content

The core My Council Services platform meets WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility

standards.

Some areas of the platform may not fully meet accessibility standards due to council-

applied branding, colours, and styles, or limitations in third-party features that are

outside the control of Abavus Ltd.

No other areas of the platform have been identified as non-accessible.

Contact for accessibility issues

If you experience any difficulty using our platform, or if you have any questions about

accessibility, please contact us at isupport@abavus.co.uk, and we will be happy to

help. The My Council Services platform is designed and maintained by Abavus Ltd.

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We are responsible for ensuring that the core platform, including structure,

navigation and compatibility with assistive technologies (such as screen readers and

keyboard navigation), meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Local authorities using the platform may apply their own branding, colours, logos,

and content. Where a council applies custom branding or provides its own content,

they are responsible for ensuring these customisations remain accessible and

compliant with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications)

Accessibility Regulations 2018.

If you believe an accessibility issue relates to:

• Platform functionality or core design — please contact Abavus directly at

isupport@abavus.co.uk.

• Branding, colour choices, images or content used by a specific council

— please contact the council directly.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This accessibility statement was prepared and first published on 2 September 2025.

It was last updated on 11 December 2025.

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+44 (0) 208 530 2505 isupport@abavus.co.uk www.abavus.co.uk