CIVIL SERVICE CLUB
CLUB RULES AND BYE LAWS  (Revised September 2023)

1.       NAME
 
The Club shall be called the Civil Service Club (‘the Club’).
 
2.       MISSION & OBJECTS
 
In 1949, Princess Elizabeth prior to her Accession made a gift to enable the creation of a club to provide civil servants past and present with a social facility within the reach of all. 

The Club opened in February 1953 on the basis of the ‘Queen’s Gift’ and has remained true to this founding purpose, providing for members and their guests
 
a.       food and drink
b.       hotel and sleeping accommodation
c.       club facilities
d.       social amenities
 
All members and guests shall accord dignity and respect to each other and to staff, and conduct themselves reasonably whilst on Club premises or attending Club events.
 
3.       MEMBERSHIP
 
3.1  ORDINARY MEMBERS
 
a.       Ordinary membership of the Club shall be available to all serving, former and retired Civil Servants of the United Kingdom, and to current, former and retired employees of Government Agencies and NDPBs (Non-Departmental Public bodies).  Membership shall also be available to current, former and retired members of companies carrying out ex-Civil Service work.
 
b.       Ordinary membership shall be divided into London and Country members.  A London member shall be anyone who resides in the City of London or Metropolitan Police areas.  A Country member shall be an Ordinary member who is not a London member.
 
3.2  LIFE MEMBERS
 
a.       An Ordinary member may be admitted to Life membership on payment of a single subscription calculated by multiplying the subscription appropriate to the member at the time of application by the number of years remaining to age 65, providing the minimum payment is not less than 5 years at that rate.  Life Members are entitled to all the privileges of membership.
 
b.       For persons aged 70 or over, the subscription shall be calculated by reference to five years at half the appropriate subscription.
 
3.3  ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
 
a.       Persons not eligible for Ordinary membership may be admitted as Associate members on payment of the appropriate subscription.
 
b.       They must be proposed and seconded by two ordinary members.  Associate members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, save that they shall have no voting rights nor may they be appointed to any office or committee of the Club, except as provided for under Rule 4f. 
 
3.4  LIFE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
 
a.       An Associate member, or approved candidate for associate membership, may be admitted to Life Associate membership on payment of a single subscription calculated by multiplying the subscription appropriate to an associate member at the time of application by the number of years remaining to the age of 65, provided the minimum payment is not less than five years at that rate. 
 
b. When applying for Life Associate membership, the subscription for persons aged 70 years or over shall be calculated by reference to five years at half the appropriate subscription.
 
c. Life associate members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, save that they shall have no voting rights nor may they be appointed to any office or committee of the Club, except as provided for under Rule 4f.
 
3.5  SPOUSE AND PARTNER MEMBERS
 
a.       The spouse or partner of an Ordinary, Life or Associate member may be admitted to Spouse membership on the nomination of the member.
 
b.       Widows and widowers, and bereaved partners of deceased civil servants who would have been eligible for ordinary or life membership may be admitted to Spouse membership on the nomination of a member.
 
c.       Spouses and partners of members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, save that they shall have no voting rights nor may they be appointed to any office or committee of the Club.
 
3.6  HONORARY MEMBERS
 
The Committee may elect as Honorary members those persons who in the opinion of the Committee have for good or sufficient reason merited this status.  Honorary members shall be exempt from paying any entrance fee or subscription and shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, save that they shall have no voting rights nor may they be appointed to any office or committee of the Club.

3.7  TEMPORARY MEMBERS
 
a.       The General Manager may admit the following as Temporary members without subscription:
                                                  
i.      any civil servant visiting the United Kingdom on official business on behalf of an overseas Government, or for leave, for a period not exceeding two months. In such cases Temporary membership may also be granted to the visitor's spouse or civil partner;
                                                
ii.      any member of another club or association, on the recommendation of the Committee, for a period not exceeding two weeks at any time or, in the case of members of a club or association whose premises are under repair, or for any reason not fully available for use, for such period as the electing authority may consider reasonable.
 
b.       Temporary Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, save that they shall have no voting rights nor may they be appointed to any office or committee of the Club.
 
3.8  GUESTS AND VISITORS
 
Members may personally introduce guests into the Club’s premises but must accompany such guests during their stay at the Club and shall be responsible for their good behaviour. 
 
The name of each guest shall be entered in the members' guest book and signed for by the member introducing.
 
A member may not introduce a guest who has been an unsuccessful candidate for membership of the Club.

The General Manager shall have discretion to exclude any guest or visitor from the Club’s premises.

3.9  MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
 
a.       Membership applications to the Club shall be processed by the General Manager under the policy agreed by the Committee.
 
b.       Acting within the Committee’s policy, the General Manager may reject any application for membership or for the renewal of membership.
 
3.10  EXPULSION AND SUSPENSION
 
The General Manager may with good reason suspend from the privileges of membership any member who in his opinion has acted in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Club.   Such actions are to be notified to the Honorary Officers without delay.
 
Suspensions shall be in force for a fixed period normally not exceeding one month. 
 
Suspensions shall be reviewed by the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer to determine what further action, if any, is required.
 
The expulsion of a member is a matter reserved to the Committee.  Any proposal for the expulsion of a member shall be determined by a Sub-Committee formed for that purpose. 
 
Appeals against expulsion shall be determined by a Sub-Committee of members of the Committee not previously involved in the case.
 
3.11 RESIGNATION OF MEMBERSHIP
 
a.       A member who has not paid the annual subscription within two months of the due date shall be deemed to have resigned and the member's name shall be removed from the register of membership.
 
b.       A member may resign at any time by notifying the Club.  Subscriptions are non-refundable.
 
c.       Provided the Honorary Secretary is notified in writing at the time of posting, a member posted overseas will not be deemed to have resigned.  On return, membership may be resumed on payment of the current subscription.
 
d.       Any member shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the Club, forfeit all rights to, or claim upon, the Club and its property and funds.
 
3.12  SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
a.       Subscription rates shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.   Any changes to the rates shall be displayed on the Club’s website and be available at Reception.
 
b.       The annual renewal date for members shall be the anniversary of the first day of the month following their date of joining.
 
c.       At the Committee’s discretion a discount may be given to subscriptions paid by Direct Debit.
 
d.       A  joining fee may be charged as determined by the Committee.
 
3.13  ACCESS TO CLUB PREMISES
 
Members shall produce their physical or digital membership cards on request when entering the Club.   Access may be refused if a valid membership cannot be verified.
 
4.   COMMITTEE AND HONORARY OFFICERS
 
a.  The Committee is responsible for the Club’s strategy and business plan, and for the appointment of the General Manager.
 
b.  The Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers and up to twelve members elected by the Club at the Annual General Meeting.
 
c.  The Chair, Vice-Chair, Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer are designated the Honorary Officers of Club.
 
d.  Honorary Officers and Members elected to the Committee shall be normally be appointed for a period of three years.  Retiring Honorary Officers and members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
 
e.  The Committee shall have the power to appoint an Ordinary member to fill any vacancy, including Honorary Officers.   Any member so appointed shall be subject to confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting and serve for the remainder of the term for which the replaced member was originally elected.
 
f. Exceptionally, an Associate member may be invited to join the Committee or a sub-committee.  Associate members may only vote in a committee if they have been given voting rights by the Honorary Officers, and the majority of committee members present are Ordinary, Life, or Honorary Life members.
 
g.  The Club at the Annual General Meeting or the Committee may appoint sub-committees to assist in the management of the Club.  The Chair of each committee shall have the authority to co-opt ordinary members or life members for specific purposes.
 
h.    The Honorary Treasurer after authorisation by the Committee may:
 
i.      borrow or raise money for the interests of the Club or for the benefit and convenience of its members
                                          
j.      to create a mortgage or charge over any property or assets of the Club to secure any monies borrowed by or on behalf of the Club
 
k.  The General Manager shall, under a scheme of delegation agreed by the Committee, be responsible for the day to day operation of the Club and all matters concerning the appointment and dismissal of staff and their supervision.

l.  The General Manager will provide written reports and accounts for the Committee as may be required.
 
m.  Any matters that require an immediate decision may be taken by Honorary Officers of the Club in consultation with the General Manager and reported to the next meeting of the Committee.
 
5.   PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS
 
The Committee may at their discretion invite suitable persons to become President and Vice-Presidents.
 
6.   MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES
 
The Committee and any sub-committees shall meet as often as necessary to discharge the business of the Club.
 
Five members shall form a quorum at meetings of the Committee and three members shall form a quorum at meetings of a sub-committee.
 
A written record of the proceedings of each committee meeting shall be posted and archived on the Club’s website.
 
7.   ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
 
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall generally be held in September or on a date determined by the Committee for the following purposes:
 
a.       to elect members to serve as Honorary Officers and as members of the Committee;

b.        to receive from the Committee a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts, independently verified for the preceding financial year;
 
c.       to decide upon any resolutions which may be submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.
 
8.   NOTICE OF BUSINESS FOR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
 
a.       Nominations for Committee
 
All nominations for elected members to the Committee shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary at least 35 days before the AGM, and shall be signed by two ordinary or life members as proposer and seconder who have secured the nominee's consent to serve on the committee. 
 
Where a member is being nominated to fill an Honorary Officer role, this will be indicated on the nomination form and appear on the voting paper.

Members of less than two years' standing shall not normally be nominated for membership of the committee or for appointment as Honorary Officers.
 
b.       Resolutions
 
Any member wishing to move a resolution at the AGM shall give notice thereof in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than 35 days before the date of such meeting. Such resolution shall be signed by two ordinary or life members who are prepared to move and second it and shall be posted by the Honorary Secretary on the Club’s website and at reception at least 21 days before the date of the meeting.
 
9.   EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING (EGM)
 
The Committee may at any time call an extraordinary general meeting.
 
The Committee shall upon the requisition in writing of any 100 ordinary, life or honorary life members call an EGM, setting out the reasons why the meeting is required.

10.   CONVENING OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
 
a.       Notice of the AGM or any EGM shall be posted on the Club’s website and at reception at least 21 days beforehand, together with a statement of the business to be transacted. No other business, other than that for which notice has been so given, shall be brought forward at such meeting.
 
The Chair or their nominee shall chair Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.
 
b.       Every ordinary or life member present shall be entitled to one vote upon every motion and in case of an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.
 
c.       Not later than 21 days before the AGM/EGM the Club shall make available to all Club members entitled to vote a voting paper on resolutions, and a voting paper to elect the members of the Committee as provided in Rule 16. Voting papers shall not be counted unless they are received at the Club by twelve noon on the day of the AGM/EGM.
 
11.   FINANCIAL YEAR
 
The financial year of the Club shall end on 31st December and the Club’s accounts shall be balanced and be independently verified.
 
12.   BYE-LAWS
 
The Committee shall at their absolute discretion make, repeal and amend bye-laws to govern the day-to-day operation of the Club.  These shall be made available on the Club’s website and at reception.  
 
13.   EMPLOYEES
 
Under the Scheme of Delegation, the General Manager is authorised to appoint, pay and dismiss employees of the Club in accordance with the policy of the Committee, taking advice from the Honorary Officers as appropriate and reporting back to the Committee.
 
14.   USE OF CLUB ROOMS
 
Acting under the policy of the Committee, the General Manager may reserve rooms as required for the efficient and profitable management of the Club. When reserving rooms the General Manager should consider the reasonable requirements of members.
 
15.   LICENSING ACT 2003
 
Alcohol may only be supplied to members and their guests in accordance with the Club Premises Licence and in line with Committee’s policy.  
 
16.   INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES
 
The reference in these rules to the masculine gender shall in all cases apply equally to the feminine gender. If any question or dispute arises as to the meaning or interpretation of these rules or of the bye-laws made thereunder, the matter must be referred to the Committee for a ruling thereon. The Committee’s interpretation shall be final.
 
17.   TRANSFER OF ASSETS
 
In the event of the dissolution of the Club, any property or assets belonging to the Club shall not be distributed to members if there is a surplus of assets over liabilities but will be given or transferred to a registered charitable organisation, as the Committee may decide upon at their absolute discretion.
 
18.   AMENDMENT OF RULES
 
These Rules may be added to, altered or revoked by the members at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.
 
 
BYE-LAWS
  
1.     Members or their guests may not take food or drink into the Club for consumption on the premises.

2.     The Club shall not be used for betting or gaming without the express permission of the Committee.

3.     Children may only be admitted to the Club at the discretion of the General Manager.

4.     Members may not use the address of the Club for any personal or business purposes.

5.     The Club accepts no responsibility for members  property.  After six months any unclaimed property may be disposed of.

6.     Smoking is only permitted in the designated outside areas of the Club’s premises.

7.     The Committee in consultation with the General Manager will determine the opening hours of the Club and facilities.  At times when facilities of the Club will not be available the General Manager will provide notice at the earliest opportunity.