Middlesbrough Council

Transforming Local Service Delivery with a Flexible, Accessible WordPress Platform

Background

Middlesbrough Council serves a diverse and growing community, delivering a wide range of essential services — from housing and social care to education, transport, and community development. As part of a wider digital transformation initiative, the Council recognised that its public-facing website no longer met the expectations of modern service users.

The legacy platform was difficult to manage, lacked accessibility compliance, and did not provide residents with intuitive pathways to key information and online services. Middlesbrough Council partnered with 6B to design and develop a scalable WordPress platform that would support digital inclusion, internal efficiency, and long-term service evolution.

The Need

The Council’s previous website presented multiple challenges. Residents struggled to navigate a complex menu system, search functionality was limited, and critical service pages were buried under fragmented structures. Internally, content updates required technical support, and the CMS lacked the flexibility to support campaign work, sub-sites, or real-time updates.

Middlesbrough Council required:

A fully WCAG 2.1 AA compliant and mobile-optimised public website
A modular CMS to enable non-technical staff to manage and publish content
Improved information architecture and on-site search
Integration with external platforms (e.g. council tax, benefits, MyMiddlesbrough accounts)
Support for campaign-specific landing pages, sub-sites, and ongoing content expansion
A clear, accessible design system aligned with the Council’s brand guidelines

The Solution

6B delivered a fully bespoke WordPress platform designed around user needs, service clarity, and editorial control. A new information architecture was developed following stakeholder workshops and user journey mapping — restructuring over 1,000 pages to streamline access to core services such as bins and recycling, housing support, and benefits.

Using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) and custom post types, we built reusable components and flexible templates that allow council teams to create pages independently, without design or development support. Page layouts, alerts, and service listings are all modular, giving the Council the agility to respond to local events, consultations, and seasonal service changes.

Accessibility was a core focus from the outset. The platform was built and tested to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, with accessible HTML, ARIA tagging, and screen reader support integrated across all templates. Colour contrast, font scaling, and keyboard navigation were all optimised for inclusive access.

To support internal adoption, 6B delivered full training and documentation, while also managing a staged content migration — prioritising high-traffic services and forms to ensure a smooth transition for residents. Third-party integrations were handled securely, with APIs used to connect core council services and account functionality.

The Impact

The new website has significantly improved how Middlesbrough Council delivers digital services to its residents. Navigation is clearer, accessibility compliance is fully met, and online engagement has increased across every major service area.

Internally, publishing workflows have become faster and more decentralised — with communications and service teams able to create and update content on their own. The flexible architecture supports campaign microsites and allows the Council to adapt quickly to changing public needs.

With a secure, scalable WordPress platform in place, Middlesbrough Council is now positioned to expand its digital capabilities — driving service innovation, increasing public transparency, and supporting digital inclusion across the borough.

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