Images should be used sparingly on the council website and only where they enhance the understanding of the page. Decorative images, which don't add information to the content of a page, should be avoided.
Alternate text, or alt text, is read out by screen readers or displayed if an image does not load or if images have been switched off.
All images, except decorative images, must have alternate text that:
- Tells people what information the image provides.
- Describes the content and function of the image in specific, meaningful and concise manner.
- Use normal punctuation, like commas and full stops, so the text is easy to read and understand.
- If the image has text on it, provide the same as alternate text.
Specifications for images
- aspect ratio should be 4:3
- image resolution should be 800x600 pixels
Copyright
Images should only be used when they are owned by the council or we have permission to use them. Many council-owned images appear on the Council Flickr page and can be used on the website and other media. Please seek guidance and authorisation from Corporate Communications.
Using images
If anyone in an image can be identified then it is considered to be personal data (unless the image is taken in public place). You must make sure you have written consent to use images that contain people, and record how long the consent is for.
There are some exemptions for images that include people at public events. Please seek advice from Corporate Communications.
Video
Videos are used to support the information on a webpage. All videos are hosted on the Council YouTube channel.