Country Land and Business Association
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox organization
|name = CLA
|image = CLA Logo.png
|size =
|caption =
|abbreviation =
|formation = 1907
|status = Membership organisation
|purpose = Represent the interests of landowners and rural business owners
|headquarters = 16 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PQ
|location = England and Wales
|membership = 33,000 members
|leader_title = Director General
|leader_name = Isabella Murfin
|leader_title2 = Main organ
|leader_name2 = CLA Council
|publication = Land and Business
|parent_organization =
|affiliations =
|budget =
|website = [http://www.cla.org.uk CLA]
}}
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is a membership organisation representing landowners, property owners and businesses owners in England and Wales.{{Cite web|url=https://threeacresandacow.co.uk/2017/08/a-history-of-the-cla-the-country-landowners-association/|title=A history of the CLA (The Country Landowners Association)|last=cow|date=2017-08-14|website=Three Acres and a Cow|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-15}}
Until 2000, the organisation was known as the Country Landowners Association.
The CLA publishes the monthly Land and Business magazine
Membership
CLA members own or manage 10 million acres, over 50% of the rural land in England and Wales. Its 28,000-strong membership includes landowners, farmers and rural businesses.{{Cite web |title=Member Services • CLA |url=https://www.cla.org.uk/member-services/ |access-date=2023-11-16 |publisher=Country Land and Business Association |language=en-gb}}{{Third-party inline|date=November 2024}}
Function
The CLA states that it "is the only organisation dedicated to defending your interests as a landowner and is your only truly independent and authoritative source of advice." It offers members a support and advice network through a free in-house policy, legal, and tax advisory service, as well as offering networking opportunities for landowners and rural businesses.
The CLA lobbies to protect its members' interests in relation to rural issues at local, national and EU levels.{{cite web| url=http://www.cla.org.uk/latest/lobbying| title=Lobbying | publisher =CLA| access-date=16 August 2015}}{{Third-party inline|date=November 2024}}
Activities
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The Policy team, based in the London office, offers advice on tax and legal, environment and conservation, agriculture and land management, as well as planning, housing and heritage. This includes issues such as the right to roam, reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy, heritage, rural housing, renewable energy and taxation.
Six regional offices include teams of rural surveyors and advisers for local branch members.
History
The Country Landowners’ Association was founded in 1907 in Lincolnshire.{{Sfn|Newby|1987|p=163}} As of 1910, the CLA had a membership of 1,000, including 100 Members of Parliament.{{Sfn|Newby|1987|p=163}} By 1918, the CLA had 8,000 members.{{Sfn|Newby|1987|p=164}}
In 2000, the Country Landowners association changed its name to the Country Land and Business Association starting in 2001.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=2 October 2000 |title=Name swap for Country Landowners' Association |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1368542/Name-swap-for-Country-Landowners-Association.html |access-date=20 November 2024 |work=The Telegraph}} This was done in part to distance the CLA from the perception of representing privileged landed gentry.
The organisation celebrated its centenary in 2007. Journalist Charles Clover wrote The History of the CLA to celebrate the anniversary.{{cite web |title=History of the CLA |url=https://www.cla.org.uk/about-cla/history-cla |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805055540/http://www.cla.org.uk/about-cla/history-cla |archive-date=5 August 2015 |access-date=16 August 2015 |publisher=CLA}}
In 2023, OpenDemocracy reported that the CLA had successfully lobbied the government against abolishing the deadline of right to roam claims.{{Cite news |last=Webster |first=Ben |date=13 June 2023 |title=Public to lose access to thousands of miles of paths after landowner lobbying |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/public-access-paths-lost-landowners-lobby-government-therese-coffey-england/ |access-date=20 November 2024 |work=Open Democracy}}{{Cite news |last=Webster |first=Ben |date=6 July 2023 |title=Minister ‘gave Parliament false answer’ about landowner lobbying |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/lord-richard-benyon-false-answer-parliament-landowner-lobbying-rights-of-way/ |access-date=20 November 2023 |work=Open Democracy}}
Structure
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The CLA is governed by the CLA Council.
There is a small board of directors that is responsible for the running of the CLA.
There is a main corporate office based in London and also six regional offices:
CLA Game Fair
The CLA no longer runs the CLA Game Fair. It announced in September 2015 that it "could no longer ask CLA members to allow their membership subscriptions to underwrite the losses the event makes."{{Cite web|url=http://www.cla.org.uk/latest/news/statement-future-cla-game-fair|title = News • CLA}}{{Third-party inline|date=November 2024}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
= Works cited =
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book |last=Newby |first=Howard |title=Country life: a social history of rural England |date=1987 |publisher=Weidenfeld and Nicolson |isbn=978-0-297-79063-1 |location=London}}
{{refend}}
External links
- [http://www.cla.org.uk Official website of the CLA]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/6913274.stm Flooding in Lincolnshire in July 2007]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3866267.stm Livestock in July 2004]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1824661.stm Postcards in February 2002]
{{Agriculture in the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1907 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:Agricultural organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Landowners' organizations