Local Authorities

The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and NLA Media Access (NLA) are separate licensing bodies that represent separate publication repertoires. Organisations making copies from a variety of media will invariably find they will benefit from holding both licences. NLA media access provides cover for newspapers, some magazines, and websites. The CLA licence covers millions of publications including books, journals, trade magazines, periodicals, law reports, and many digital publications and online content including ‘free-to-view’ websites. There is no overlap between CLA and NLA repertoire; the licences complement one another. Read more about the differences between CLA and NLA licences coverage on our site.  

Failing to obtain a CLA Licence puts your organisation at risk of copyright infringement. Infringing copyright law is undesirable for any public sector organisation, potentially resulting in legal consequences and financial penalties, as well as a risk of reputational damage. A stark example of this can be seen in cases such as Brighton and Hove, where legal action was pursued for copyright infringement, highlighting the serious consequences of non-compliance.  Additionally, opting not to acquire a CLA Licence might be interpreted as underestimating the worth of the creative community, sidestepping compensation for creators and rights holders for use of their intellectual property. Fair remuneration for publishers, authors and visual artists supports the growth and sustainability of the creative sector.    Beyond financial considerations, there is an expectation from society for public bodies to ‘do the right thing,’ encompassing the importance of behaving responsibly by following and respecting the law.     Obtaining a CLA Licence becomes crucial in fulfilling these expectations, leading by example and minimising risks of copyright infringement. 

While subscriptions grant your local authority access to the content, there’s a crucial distinction between accessing and having the right to copy and share that content. Many publications have explicit copyright statements prohibiting copying, storing, or sharing. Therefore, subscribing to a service doesn’t always give you free rein to reuse its content.    In local authorities, commonly subscribed titles, such as Local Government Chronicle, Municipal Journal, Local Government News, Health Service Journal, Community Care, Building, and Encyclopaedia of Local Government Law, will have copyright disclaimers. Misinterpretation of subscription access can inadvertently lead to copyright infringement.

Yes, as of May 2025, the CLA Public Administration Licence permissions were updated to allow the lawful copying and inclusion of published content to prompt permitted generative AI tools to generate outputs (subject to the terms and conditions of your licence).

Thousands of UK organisations, including local authorities, use media monitoring providers to access media coverage. There are limitations set in the agreement between CLA and these Media Monitoring agencies. Specifically, it only permits one recipient in the organisation to receive the coverage, and it restricts further sharing, saving, and copying of received media coverage. If you wish to have multiple user access or make multiple copies of media clippings, this will require your local authority to hold its own CLA licence. A licence is required if electronic/web clippings are accessed more than once, or by more than one employee, or if additional copies are made, forwarded, or digitally stored from clippings received electronically or in hard copy.