CookieBanner.co.uk · Public Visibility Review

Ward & Rider Solicitors Cookie Notice & Privacy Signals Review

A public review of visible cookie controls, cookie information and privacy signals on the Ward & Rider Solicitors website.

Checked

27 June 2026

Review type

Fresh-Visitor Public Check

Scope

Visible Public Signals

68out of 100

Clear accept and reject controls, with cookie information that appears due for review

The public homepage presents Accept and Reject actions, together with a visible route to revoke consent later. That is a useful user-control foundation. The published Cookie Policy, however, describes continued browsing as consent, relies on browser settings for changes and lists older Google Analytics cookie references. The practical next step is checking that the written cookie inventory, live scripts and consent controls reflect the current website setup.

Technical tag behaviour not tested

Privacy information

20 / 25

Public Privacy and Cookie Policy pages are available, with a named data-protection contact route.

Cookie choices

19 / 25

Accept and Reject actions were visible on the first layer. Category-level settings were not identified in the rendered journey.

Cookie information

8 / 15

The policy identifies analytics and traffic-log purposes, but its cookie list uses older Google Analytics references and browser-setting guidance.

Form transparency

7 / 15

The Privacy Policy explains website information collection, though individual public form journeys were not reviewed in full.

Choice persistence

14 / 20

A visible Revoke Consent route was identified. Full preference storage and reopening behaviour was not technically tested.

Why the score is 68, not a compliance verdict
This score reflects public evidence only. It gives credit for visible Accept and Reject controls, an accessible Cookie Policy and a public route to revoke consent. Points are held back because the published cookie information appears to use older analytics terminology and browser-settings wording, while the visible public journey did not show category-level preferences. This review did not inspect scripts, cookies, browser storage or network requests. It is not a legal conclusion.
What was directly visible in this check
The website displayed a cookie notice with Accept and Reject actions, and stated that consent could later be revoked with a visible Revoke Consent button. The Cookie Policy describes third-party traffic-log and Google Analytics cookies used for website analysis. It includes older Google Analytics cookie references such as __utma, __utmb, __utmc and __utmz, and directs visitors to browser settings if they do not wish to accept cookies.
What this check did not test
This public check did not inspect browser storage, cookie values, network requests, tag-manager settings, analytics requests, advertising pixels or Consent Mode behaviour. It did not determine whether analytics or other non-essential technologies are technically blocked before a choice, whether Accept and Reject are equally prominent in the visual design, whether a category-level preference centre is available after interaction, or whether all live technologies are reflected in the published policy.
Important: This is a Public Visibility & Transparency Score based on observed public evidence. It is not a GDPR, PECR, legal or formal compliance score, and it does not determine how scripts, cookies, pixels or tags operate in every consent state.

Review findings

Visible Consent and Privacy Signals

Cookie Notice

  • Visible Accept action identified
  • Visible Reject action identified
  • Visible Revoke Consent route identified
  • Cookie notice says cookies are used to improve website experience
  • Category-level settings were not identified in the rendered public journey

The visible first layer gives visitors a direct acceptance and rejection route. The next improvement area is ensuring that the rest of the user journey provides equally clear information about any optional cookie categories and their purposes.

Cookie & Privacy Information

  • Separate Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy pages are publicly linked
  • Cookie Policy describes traffic-log and Google Analytics uses
  • Policy states continued browsing constitutes consent
  • Policy directs visitors to browser settings to change cookie settings
  • Cookie list includes older Google Analytics __utm cookie references

The written policy gives a clear historical explanation of analytics cookies. A useful maintenance review would compare its descriptions and inventory with the current tracking, analytics, embedded content and website-plugin setup.

Public Data Collection

  • Privacy Policy says website-use information may be collected
  • Cookie Policy is signposted from the Privacy Policy
  • Data-protection manager contact details are published
  • Privacy Policy describes lawful bases and individual rights
  • Individual public enquiry form journeys were not fully reviewed

This review does not assess backend form handling, client records, retention, security arrangements, lawful basis or processing performed in connection with legal services.

Evidence matrix

Observed Evidence and Review Boundaries

Review areaWhat was observedReview statusNot determined by this check
Cookie messageFirst-layer message with Accept and Reject actions.ObservedVisual prominence, behaviour across all devices and whether controls appear identically on every page.
Visitor choiceAccept and Reject actions were visible, alongside a Revoke Consent route.ObservedWhether further category-level settings are available after interaction and the technical effect of each choice.
Cookie informationCookie Policy describes traffic-log cookies and Google Analytics cookies, including older __utm references.ObservedWhether every technology currently operating on the live website is accurately listed and described.
Privacy informationPrivacy Policy signposts website information collection and the Cookie Policy, with a named data-protection contact route.ObservedAccuracy, legal adequacy or completeness of all policy information.
Public formsWebsite information collection is described in the Privacy Policy.Policy wording observedIndividual form notices, backend handling, retention, security, lawful basis or client-case processing.
Cookies and tagsNot technically inspected in this public visibility review.Not testedCookies, browser storage, network requests, analytics requests, advertising technologies, third-party scripts or Consent Mode behaviour.

What a Deeper Review Would Check

The visible banner provides a direct Accept or Reject route, but public rendering alone does not show how the website behaves before and after each action. A technical review would compare cookies, browser storage, network requests and page behaviour in a clean browser before interaction, after Accept, after Reject and after using the Revoke Consent route.

The practical focus would be confirming that the live technology inventory matches the Cookie Policy, particularly where current analytics tools, plugins, embedded content or third-party services may differ from the older Google Analytics references published in the policy.

Suggested technical scope

  • Clean-browser baseline
  • Accept versus Reject comparison
  • Cookie and browser-storage review
  • Network-request and tag-firing review
  • Revoke Consent route review
  • Cookie-policy versus live-inventory comparison
  • Analytics and third-party service review
  • Developer-ready action list

Request an Update or Correction

Ward & Rider Solicitors, or someone authorised to act for the business, may submit evidence that this review is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. We will consider relevant information and update the page where appropriate.

Factual corrections and updates are not conditional on purchasing any service.

For other website owners

Need a similar review?

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