1. NAME
The Club shall be called the Civil Service Club (‘the Club’).
2. MISSION & OBJECTS
a. 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.
b. 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:
i. food and drink
ii. hotel and sleeping accommodation
iii. club facilities
iv. social amenities
c. The Club provides a safe and comfortable environment for all members and guests. All members and guests shall accord dignity and respect to each other and to staff, and conduct themselves reasonably whilst on Club premises, attending Club events or using the facilities of reciprocal Clubs.
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 and/or works 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 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
a. Persons not eligible for Ordinary membership may be admitted as Associate members on payment of the appropriate subscription.
b. They shall be proposed and seconded by two ordinary members.
c. 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 4.1.f.
3.3 LIFE MEMBERS
a. An Ordinary or Associate member, or an approved candidate for Ordinary or Associate membership, may be admitted to Ordinary Life or Associate Life membership, respectively, 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.
b. For persons aged 70 or over, the subscription shall be calculated by reference to five years at half the appropriate subscription.
c. Ordinary Life Members are entitled to all the privileges of membership. Associate Life Members are entitled to all the 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 4.1.f.
3.4 PARTNER MEMBERS
a. Partner membership is available to the spouse or partner of an Ordinary, Associate or Life member on the nomination of the member.
b. Widows, widowers, and bereaved partners of deceased persons who would have been eligible for Ordinary or Ordinary Life membership may be admitted to Partner membership on the nomination of a member.
c. Partner 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 4.1.f.
3.5 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, except as provided for under Rule 4.1.f.
3.6 TEMPORARY MEMBERS
a. The General Manager may, in their absolute discretion, 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 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 Committee 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.
3.7 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
a. The Committee shall have the power to admit eligible persons as members and may, in its discretion, refuse to admit into membership any person who is otherwise eligible. The Committee shall not be required to state any reason for the rejection of an application.
b. Membership applications to the Club shall be processed by the General Manager under the policy agreed by the Committee.
c. Acting within the Committee’s policy, the General Manager may reject any application for membership or for the renewal of membership.
d. Memberships are non-transferable and joining fees or subscriptions, once paid, are not refundable.
3.8 GUESTS AND VISITORS
a. Members may personally introduce up to five guests into the Club’s premises but shall accompany such guests during their stay at the Club and shall be responsible for their good behaviour.
i. The name of each guest shall be entered in the members’ guest book and signed for by the member who introduces them.
ii. The same guest may not be introduced more than two times in any calendar month.
iii. A member may not introduce a guest who has been an unsuccessful candidate for membership of the Club.
iv. Should a member wish to introduce more than five guests at any one time, the names of those guests shall be supplied to the Club 48 hours in advance.
v. Where a member’s guest makes a purchase from the Club, , higher charges may apply.
b. The General Manager shall have discretion to exclude any guest or visitor from the Club’s premises.
3.9 CESSATION 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; no new joining fee will be payable.
d. Membership shall cease on death.
e. Membership may cease pursuant to clause 3.10 below.
f. 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.
3.10 CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
a. The broad standards of conduct expected of members are set out in Rule 2.c.
b. The General Manager, or their representative, may deal with cases of minor misconduct informally and may direct the immediate departure of a member or their guest from the Club.
c. The General Manager may also recommend the temporary suspension from the privileges of membership of any member who in the General Manager’s opinion has acted in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Club. Such recommendations are to be notified to the Honorary Officers without delay. Any decision to suspend the privileges of membership shall be notified to the member by the Honorary Secretary, in writing. Temporary suspensions shall be in force for a fixed period normally not exceeding one month.
d. Following the suspension of a member, the Officers of the Club shall follow the disciplinary process agreed by the Committee, which may result in further sanctions including the member’s expulsion from the Club or suspension, for such period as may be decided, from any or all privileges of membership (including, e.g., the right to stand for office). Members subject to sanctions shall have a right of appeal.
e. An expelled member forfeits all the privileges of membership and all rights against the Club. An expelled member shall not be entitled to any refund of their joining fee or subscription; and may not re-apply for membership of the Club. The Committee may, in its discretion, refuse such a re-application.
3.11 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND JOINING FEES
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.
3.12 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. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB
4.1 COMMITTEE
a. The Chair, Vice-Chair, Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer are designated the Honorary Officers of Club.
b. The Committee is responsible for the Club’s strategy and business plan, and for the appointment of the General Manager.
c. The Committee shall consist of the four Honorary Officers and up to twelve members elected by the Club at the Annual General Meeting.
d. Members elected to the Committee shall be Ordinary or Ordinary Life members of the Club. Members of less than two years’ standing shall not normally be nominated for election as an Honorary Officer or as a member of the Committee.
e. The Committee shall have the power to appoint an Ordinary member to fill any vacancy, including as an Honorary Officer. 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, Associate, Partner and Honorary members may be invited to join the Committee or a sub-committee. Such members may vote in a committee only if they have been given voting rights by the Honorary Officers, and the majority of committee members present are Ordinary or Ordinary Life members.
g. All members of the Committee shall be appointed for a period of three years. Retiring Honorary Officers and other members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election. As a general rule, members of the Committee should not serve more than three consecutive three-year terms in the same role.
h. 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 members for specific purposes.
i. 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.
j 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.
4.2 ELECTION OF HONORARY OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
a. The Committee will notify members in advance of the Annual General Meeting which positions are vacant and will require to be filled through an election.
b. All nominations for elected members to the Committee shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary at least 35 days before the Annual General Meeting, and shall be signed by two Ordinary or Ordinary Life members as proposer and seconder who have secured the nominee’s consent to serve on the committee.
c. Nominations shall be made on a nomination form prescribed by the Committee, and the form will require an indication of whether a candidate is being nominated for election as an Honorary Officer or as a member of the Committee.
4.3 PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTS
The Committee may at their discretion invite suitable persons to become President and Vice-Presidents.
4.4 FINANCIAL MATTERS
a. 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
ii. 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
b. The financial year of the Club shall end on 31st December and the Club’s accounts shall be balanced and be independently verified.
c. 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 in their absolute discretion.
4.5 GENERAL MANAGER
a. The General Manager shall, under a scheme of delegation agreed by the Committee, be responsible for the day to day operation of the Club (including the appointment, payment and dismissal of employees of the Club) in accordance with the Committee’s scheme of delegation, taking advice from Honorary Officers as appropriate and reporting back to the Committee.
b. The General Manager will provide written reports and accounts for the Committee as may be required.
c. Acting in accordance with the Committee’s scheme of delegation, 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.
4.6 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.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS
5.1 CALLING OF GENERAL MEETINGS
a. A General Meeting:
i. May be called at any time by the Committee
ii. Shall be called on receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a written request from at least 100 Ordinary or Ordinary Life members, and held within 40 days of this request.
b. Notice of the date, time and place of any General Meeting of the Club (including the Annual General Meeting) shall be posted on the Club’s website and at Reception, at least 40 days before the date of the General Meeting. Further details of the General Meeting, including a statement of the business to be transacted, shall be posted on the Club’s website and at Reception, at least 21 days before the date of the General Meeting.. No other business, other than that for which notice has been so given, shall be brought forward at the General Meeting.
c. General Meetings (including the Annual General Meeting) may be held wholly or partly as virtual meetings, and the arrangements for attendance and voting by members shall be agreed by the Committee.
5.2 PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
a. The Chair or their nominee shall chair Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.
b. Every Ordinary or Ordinary Life member of the Club 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. Votes may be cast either in person at the General Meeting or by returning a ballot paper to be received at the Club not later than 12 noon on the day of the General Meeting. The Club shall make ballot papers available to all voting members, by electronic or physical means, not later than 21 days before the General Meeting. Ballot papers shall not be counted unless they are received at the Club by 12 noon on the day of the General Meeting.
d. Ballot papers shall be in a form agreed by the Committee. Ballot papers for the election of Honorary Officers and members of the Committee shall make clear whether a candidate is being proposed for election as an Honorary Officer or as a member of the Committee.
5.3 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall generally be held in September or on a date determined by the Committee for the following purposes:
i. to elect members to serve as Honorary Officers and as members of the Committee
ii. to receive from the Committee a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts, independently verified for the preceding financial year
iii. to decide upon any resolutions which may be submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.
b. Any Ordinary or Ordinary Life member of the Club wishing to move a resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than 35 days before the date of the meeting. Such resolution shall be signed by two Ordinary or Ordinary 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.
6. BYE-LAWS
The Committee shall in 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.
7. INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES
If any question or dispute arises as to the meaning or interpretation of these rules or of the bye-laws made thereunder, the matter shall be referred to the Committee for a ruling thereon. The Committee’s interpretation shall be final.
8. 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.
8. The Club does not have a proscriptive dress rule. We aim to set a minimum standard for the Club experience that respects the surroundings and accommodates all ages. This standard is outlined below. If not met, the General Manager or his representative will politely request adjustments or direct the departure of a member or their guest from the Club. However, experience suggests this will rarely be needed.
a. Dress in all public areas of the Club at all times must be clean and inoffensive.
b. Members are expected to maintain appropriate personal hygiene standards to ensure a clean and pleasant environment for all Club members.
Members are expected to ensure their guests conform to this standard
The Club Rules were last amended by the the Club’s membership at the Club’s AGM on 16th September 2025.