New study reveals widespread digital accessibility compliance risks across UK local councils

Digital accessibility specialists from Recite Me published a study evaluating over one hundred critical webpages across twenty-five of the largest parish and town councils in the United Kingdom.

The auditing team analyzed essential public touchpoints, including local homepages, contact portals, accessibility statements, and official meeting minutes.

For web developers, public administrators, and compliance officers, these findings reveal widespread structural flaws that threaten alignment with Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations.

Failing to resolve these design errors exposes local government entities to severe regulatory penalties and locks residents out of democratic participation.

Moving forward, these municipal compliance gaps will face intensified scrutiny as mandatory annual governance and accountability reviews begin enforcing strict digital processes.

This investigation demonstrates that local government bodies must transition from passive web hosting to active, continuous monitoring to satisfy evolving public sector compliance mandates and preserve public trust.

Read the full story at SLCC →