Are you managing a community building?
Do you use sound recordings in public?
Then you should know about the joint
Community Matters/ PPL Registration Scheme
WHICH WILL SAVE YOU MONEY!
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Download a copy of the registration form.
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Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) collect the royalties due under copyright law when sound recordings are used in public on behalf of the companies producing records, tapes or CDs. They have a statutory right to issue licences and set tariffs, and those who run activities in public at which sound recordings are used without obtaining a PPL licence may be infringing copyright law.
A joint registration scheme negotiated between Community Matters and PPL enables all charitable organisations running community buildings to benefit from a simple, low cost scheme, to cover all their own licensable activities.
The cost of registration in 2008/2009 is £57.50 (£50.00 + £7.50 VAT) if your organisation is a member of Community Matters. The scheme is still open to charitable organisations who are not members of Community Matters but for them Community Matters is making a small extra charge to cover administration costs. For non-members the charge will be £74.75(£65.00 + £9.75 VAT).
Registration under the scheme will cover such activities using recorded music as dancing classes, social dancing clubs, exercise or aerobics classes, and occasional discos (up to 12 a year), run by the charity. If your organisation only runs discos (up to 12 a year) then the PPL fee will be waived. However, if your organisation regularly runs more than 12 discos a year you cannot register under this scheme and need to contact PPL directly on 0207 534 1000.
Registration under the scheme will cover all the licensable activities of your organisation, its sections* and its bar/social club, if you have one. However, it will NOT cover the activities of affiliated groups or other hirers: they are responsible themselves for obtaining any required licences for their activities. (*Sections are user groups formed from members of the organisation which are ultimately under the control of the management committee of the charity, and whose finances are ultimately the responsibility of the management committee: they are inseparably part of your charity.)
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A RENEWAL FORM SHORTLY
Your Questions answered
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We already have a PRS licence, doesn't that cover us?
The PRS (Performing Right Society) licence covers the copyright owned by the composers, authors and publishers of musical works. However, there is a separate copyright owned by the producers of sound recordings, and this is administered by PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd). So if you use sound recordings in public you will need a PRS licence (contact PRS on tel: 08000- 68-48-28 for new applications; 0845-309-309-0 for existing license holders), but you will probably need a PPL licence as well!
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Do we need a PPL licence if admission to events using recorded music is restricted to members?
Yes, for the purposes of copyright law these are NOT private events. But wedding receptions, and birthday and anniversary parties ARE private and so do not require a PPL licence.
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Do we have to be a member of Community Matters to take advantage of Community Matters/PPL registration scheme?
No, the scheme is open to all charitable organisations running community buildings, whether members of Community Matters or not. However, for nonmembers, as stated above, the charge will be £74.75 (£65.00+ £9.75 VAT.) Although charitable village halls are unlikely to need a PPL licence themselves (their hirers may need one), village halls will be eligible e.g. if a bar/social club is run on the premises.
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If we register under the scheme, will all activities in our building be covered?
No, only the activities which are promoted by your organisation and its sections will be covered (including those of any separated bar/social club). The PPL licence covers the organisation: not the building. However, the activities of the independent affiliated groups which use your building and of other hirers, will NOT be covered. They are responsible themselves for obtaining the required licence from PPL for their activities. It is a condition of participation in the scheme that you ensure as far as possible that your hirers obtain the necessary licence.
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One of our sections already has a PPL licence, what do we do?
You should apply to the scheme and make clear the position on your application form.
PPL have agreed in such cases to make a rebate for the fees paid directly.
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We have a juke box and the invoice from the vendor includes a contribution to a PPL licence. Do we still have to pay that?
Yes, you do. The scheme does not exempt you from that payment.
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Some aerobics tapes we use include a charge for PPL, do we have to pay for this?
Yes, in such cases the companies concerned have taken out a licence with Phonographic
Performance Ltd, and you will have to pay the charge if you use their tapes.
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What if our hirers aren’t licensed for PPL - do we have any responsibility?
Yes, you could be held jointly and severally liable as the managers of the building. It is therefore in your interest, as well as a condition of the scheme, that you ensure your hirers have the required licences.
- What happens if we do nothing?
This is the time to ensure you formalise room hires through use of a hiring agreement. Community Matters has a model that might assist you. (See Community Matters information sheet No 61)
If you are running licensable activities, then you may be infringing copyright law and will be losing the opportunity to comply with the law at minimal cost. If you are not running any licensable activities, but there is a chance that you or one of your sections may decide to hold a disco later in the year, then you would be sensible to register since it will cost you nothing.
For further information and an application form, contact Community Matters on 020 7837 7887.
