Membership Rules

Rule 1 - Name, Objects and Membership of The Savoy Society.

1. The name of the Society shall be 'The Savoy Society'.

2. The objects of the Society shall be to strive to further the achievement of excellence within the leisure, hotel and catering industry; to provide a social forum for its members to meet and exchange ideas; to act as a pressure group in such matters as it sees fit.

3. The Society does not differentiate between Ordinary and Management members. Membership qualification now is that you should have either completed two years service, a five year training programme or held a management position for three years. The Society has Members, Honorary Members, Fellows and Overseas Members..

Rule 2 - Election of Members.

1. The first Members of the Society shall be the persons listed in Appendix 1. (collectively referred to in these Rules as the “Founder Members”).

2. Except for the Founder Members no candidate for membership will be accepted unless he or she is eligible and his or her application is approved by the Committee.

3. No current employees of the Savoy Group shall be accepted as Members. If a Member should be employed/re-employed by The Savoy Group his or her membership shall immediately be suspended. No fees shall be payable by such a Member during suspension but any fees paid before such suspension shall not be refunded.

4. The name of any prospective Member (other than a Founder Member) should initially be submitted in writing to the Chairman by a pro poser (being an Ordinary Member or Management Member) together with the name of a suggested second er (also being an Ordinary or Management Member).

5. The submission should include detailed information about the candidate and how long he or she has been known to the pro poser and second er.

6. All such candidates will be considered at a meeting of the Committee and if prospective candidates are not personally known to the Chairman or to a member of that Committee an introduction to a member of that Committee may be requested. No reasons shall be given to any candidate for if he or she is rejected in the application for Membership.

Rule 3 - Joining Fees and Subscriptions.

1. The standard annual membership rates shall be as follows, including VAT:

Fees are to be paid on the 1st January every year unless otherwise directed.

New Members £25.00 plus an annual subscription of £20.
Renewals £20.00 annual fee.
Overseas Members £15.00 per year.

2. Should a newly elected member not have paid his or her Entrance Fee and Subscription within 30 days from the date of his or her election, such election shall be considered void, unless he or she can satisfactorily explain to the Management Committee the cause of delay. The treasurer is empowered to set up new direct debit mandates between the banks and the members without reference to the committee.

The Annual Subscription shall be paid without demand in advance by Direct Debit to the account of the Savoy Society at Coutts and Co. (Fleet Street Branch), 188 Fleet Street, London, E.C.4 Bank Sort Code 18-00-09, account number 45262600.

3.In the case of newly elected, or re-admitted Members, the Annual Subscription during the calendar year of joining the Society shall be:-

Date of Election Subscription

1st January to 31st March Full
1st April to 30th June Three-quarters
1st July to 30th September Half
1st October to 31st December One-quarter

4. A newly elected or readmitted Member shall not participate in or attend any of the organised functions, elections, or meetings of the Society until he/she has paid in full the amount due by him/her on election or readmission. Such payment shall be deemed a declaration of his/her acquiescence in and submission to the Rules and Regulations for the time being in force of the Society.

5. On 1st March, 1st June and 1st December every Member who has omitted to pay his/her subscription in full shall have 30 days to pay. Failing this the Member shall (although remaining liable for the amount due) cease to be a Member of the Society unless he/she can excuse the default to the satisfaction of the Committee.

6. The Committee shall have the discretion to expel any Member who omits to make payment to the Society which has been due for 60 days or more.

7. Without prejudice to the foregoing any member who has omitted to pay his/her subscription or any amount owing to the Society for more than 60 days shall be liable to pay interest to the Society on the sum outstanding at the rate of 3% above the base lending rate of Lloyds Bank plc (or the equivalent rate of any successor to its banking business in the United Kingdom). From time to time, such interest to be charged from the date such sum or sums became due until the date of actual payment.

Rule 4 - Officers of the Society.

1. There shall be a President of the Society and a Chairman.

2. The President shall serve for a term of one year. He/she may be elected or re-elected by invitation of the Committee. The first President of the Society shall be Sir Hugh Wontner.

3. The Chairman shall be a member of the Committee. He/she may serve for a term of two consecutive years. He/she may not offer himself/herself for re-election until a period of one year has lapsed since his/her appointment. The Committee must elect the Chairman not less than 14 days before the relevant General Meeting. The first Chairman of the Society shall be the Hon. John Sinclair.

4. Nominations for the office of President and of Chairman must be received by the Committee not less than 14 days before the relevant General Meeting.

Rule 5 - The Committee.

1. (a) The Committee shall consist of the Chairman, up to six elected Members, three non-elected Members and the Trustees.

(b) The Committee for the time being consist of Executive and Advisory members.

2. (a) The elected members whose names are listed under “Elected Members” in the attached list of members of the Committee shall be the first elected Members of the Committee and for the time being shall retire after three years at the Annual General Meeting and shall not be eligible for re-election in the same year.

(b)The three non-elected members need to be selected by the Committee and approved by membership.

3. The Committee shall propose not less than six Members of the Society as candidates for elected membership of the Committee whose names shall be circulated to Members 14 days before the General Meeting at, and by which, they are to be elected. If the number of candidates proposed exceeds the number of vacancies the election of Members of the Committee shall be by ballot on the day of the meeting. Each voting member (as defined in Rule 9) shall have one vote per place on the Committee.

4. If the number of candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies then such proposed Members shall be deemed elected.

5. If during the year a vacancy should occur the Committee shall have the power of filling the vacancy until the next General Meeting.

6. In summoning a meeting of the Committee the object of the meeting shall be stated.

7. On any vote taken by the Committee, if the numbers of votes cast for and against are equal, the Chairman in addition to his or her vote as a Member of the Committee, shall have a casting vote.

8. The Chairman may at any time request the Honorary Secretary of the Society to summon a meeting of the Committee. Not less than 14 clear days written notice shall be given of a meeting of the Committee. The accidental omission to give notice or non receipt of notice by any member of the Committee shall not, however, invalidate any resolution passed or the proceedings of any such matter.

9. Three members of the Committee personally present shall be a quorum.

10. Elected Vice Chairman post to be created with the same rules and regulations as in Sections 3 and 4 that apply to the chairmanship.

Rule 6 - Powers of the Committee.

1. Subject to Rule 18, paragraph 1, the general direction, conduct and affairs of the Society shall be controlled by the Committee to the extent that they are not reserved for the Society in General Meetings under these Rules.

2. The Committee shall have the power to make, alter and rescind Regulations (not inconsistent with the Rules) as they may from time to time think essential for the internal management of the Society, and all Regulations so made shall be binding on all Members of the Society.

3. The Committee shall have the power to appoint from time to time, from Members of the Society generally, sub-committees for the specific purposes which it deems to be expedient. Two Members of the Society shall constitute a quorum of a sub-committee.

Rule 7 - The AGM.

1. The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held during January each year (but not more than fifteen months after the previous Annual General Meeting) for the following purposes.

(a) To receive the Committee’s report and Statement of Accounts of the Society for the past year.
(b) To elect Members to fill vacancies on the Committee.
(c) To elect Auditors of the Society for the year.
(d) To decide on any proposition submitted to such a meeting in accordance with the Rules of the Society.
(e) To confirm the Chairman of the Society.

Rule 8 - Extraordinary General Meeting.

The Committee may at any time convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society. The Committee shall call and give notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society within 14 days of receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a requisition signed by not less than 10% of the total of Ordinary and Management Members. Such a requisition shall specify the general purpose of the proposed meeting and shall set out the wording of any proposed resolution to be passed at that meeting.

Rule 9 - Procedures at General Meeting.

1. At least 14 clear days written notice of every General Meeting specifying the general nature of the business to be considered at such meeting shall be given to every Member entitled to attend and vote. Only Ordinary, Management or Fellow Members shall be entitled to attend or vote at General Meetings. Such Members are referred to in these rules as “Voting Members”.

2. No business other than that of which notice has been so given may be brought forward or discussed at a General Meeting of the Society.

3. The Chair shall be taken at all General Meetings by the President, who may delegate this responsibility to the Chairman, (or in the absence of the Chairman to the Vice Chairman). In absence of all three of the above 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the General Meeting or should they be unwilling to act as Chairman, the Members of the Society present shall choose some other member of the Committee. If all Members of the Committee decline to take the chair they shall choose a Member of the Society present to be chairman of the Meeting.

4. No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless the requisite quorum is present when the Meeting proceeds to business. 12 Voting Members (excluding the Committee) present in person shall be a quorum for all purposes.

5. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of any General Meeting a quorum be not present, the General Meeting shall be adjourned.

6. Any proposition or resolution put to the vote at the General Meeting shall be decided on by a show of hands. A resolution shall be valid if passed by a majority of such Voting Members as vote in person thereon. The Chairman of the meeting may speak in favour of or against a proposition or resolution, but may not vote on the proposition or resolution unless an equal number of votes are cast for and against it, in which case the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting vote provided he or she is a Voting Member. A resolution shall be put to the vote if the Chairman of the Meeting sees fit or if ten or more Voting Members so demand.

7. The Honorary Secretary shall take the minutes of the proceedings of all General Meetings of the Society.

Rule 10 - Alterations of the Rules and Regulations by the Committee.

1. Alterations of Regulations (not inconsistent with Rules) may be made from time to time by the Committee and shall come into effect immediately. Such alterations shall be reported to the members.

Rule 11 - Alterations of Rules and Regulations by the Members.

The Rules and Regulations of the Society for the time being in force may be added to repealed or amended by a resolution passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society in accordance with Rule 8.

Rule 12 - Resignation of Members.

Resignations shall take effect on the 31st December in the Calendar year in which they are given. Any member wishing to resign from the Society shall therefore give notice of his or her intention in writing to the Membership Secretary before the 1st January. In default of his or her so doing, he or she shall be liable for his subscription for the calendar year in which notice of his or her resignation is given.

Rule 13 - Expulsion of Members.

1. Should the conduct of any Member be in the opinion of the Committee be detrimental to the character, good order, welfare or interest of the Society, they shall require the Membership secretary to write for an explanation of his/her conduct fixing a time not less than 14 days within which explanation shall be furnished.

2. If the member fails to give an explanation within the time specified, or if such explanation be given and is in the opinion of the Committee unsatisfactory, the Committee may at a meeting specially convened for the purpose by a resolution passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Members of the Committee actually present resolve that such Member should be requested in writing to withdraw from the Society.

3. If the Member so requested shall not resign within 14 days after such request is sent to the Member then unless the Committee shall have previously received a requisition (under Rule 8) requiring the convening of an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society for the purpose of deciding whether or not the Member shall be expelled, he/she shall at the expiration of such period of 14 days cease to be a Member of the Society and his/her name shall be erased from the list of Members.

4. At an Extraordinary General Meeting called pursuant to the requisition received under Rule 8 to consider the expulsion of a Member, the quorum shall be 30 Voting Members. The member whose conduct is in question shall cease to be a Member of the Society upon the close of the proceedings of such meeting unless a Resolution is passed at such Meeting by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the Voting Members present that the request to such Member to withdraw from the Society be cancelled. The Member whose conduct is in question shall be entitled to be heard at the Extraordinary General Meeting and (if he or she is a Voting Member) to vote on any resolution concerning his or her withdrawal or expulsion from the Society.

5. A Member who shall have been expelled under this Rule shall not be eligible for re-election as a Member nor shall he/she afterwards be admissible as a visitor.

Rule 14 - Dishonoured Cheque's.

Should any Member have a cheque drawn by him/her and cashed by the Society dishonoured, notice in writing of such dishonour shall immediately be served upon him/her. In the event of the cheque not being honoured within 21 days from the date of such notice he/she shall immediately cease to be a Member of the Society provided always that the Committee shall have the power to reinstate such a Member on receiving from him/her what they consider to be a satisfactory explanation of the dishonoured cheque, and a report from the Membership Secretary that the amount of the cheque has been paid.

Rule 15 - Readmission of Members.

On written application to the Membership Secretary by a former Ordinary or Management Member who has ceased to be a Member of the Society other than by expulsion, the Committee may after due enquiry and after expiration of not less than 30 days from the date of such application readmit him/her as a Member upon payment only of the difference between the amount of the entrance fee paid on original election (or if no entrance fee was paid his/her original election on payment of the entrance fee ruling at the date of readmission) together with any subscription due under rule 3.

Rule 16 - Society not to be used for business purposes.

1. No Member shall allow the name of the Society to be advertised or published in connection with any business, firm or company other than The Savoy Hotel plc or any successor in the title or subsidiary thereof.

2. No Member shall cause or procure the publication of any political or contentious matter whether in the form of a letter or otherwise bearing the name and/or address of the Society.

3. No Member shall make use of the Society for professional, political or business purposes to which extent, in the opinion of the Committee, may embarrass other Members or bring the Society into disrepute.

4. No Member shall be permitted to receive in any manner either directly or indirectly any salary, commission or profit out of the funds or transactions of the Society unless the matter shall previously have been fully and fairly disclosed by him/her in writing to the Committee and approved by them.

Rule 17 - Members Addresses and notices.

1. All Members of the Society shall notify the Membership Secretary of any change to their own addresses or those of their agents or banks.

2. When any Member has failed to communicate his/her change of address to the Membership Secretary, then all notices and communications sent to the old address shall be considered as duly delivered on the day of posting.

3. Notices to be sent to Members shall be sent in writing, delivered by hand or by first class post, to each Voting Member at the latest address of that Member held by the Membership Secretary. Notices shall deemed to have been given on the day of delivery (if delivered by hand) or on the day of posting, if posted. Notices may also be given to Honorary Members. The accidental omission to give notices to, or non receipt by, any Member shall not invalidate any resolution passed at or proceedings of any General Meeting.

Rule 18 - Trustees.

1. There shall be not less than two nor more than four Trustees of the Society, in whom the assets and property of the Society shall be vested to hold for the use and benefit of the Society and the Members. The Trustees shall be indemnified against loss or expense out of the assets of the Society, without prejudice to any rights of recovery they may have against Members, provided that no Trustee shall be entitled to receive any salary, commission or profit out of the funds, assets or transactions of the Society.

2. The Committee shall have the power to appoint and remove the Trustees. In case a vacancy shall occur in the number of Trustees by death, resignation or otherwise, the Committee shall appoint new Trustee(s) to fill the vacancy.

3. The Trustees shall in all respects act in accordance with the directions of the Committee as regards any property of the Society held by them.

4. The Trustees shall have power to sell, lease, mortgage or pledge any property of the Society for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the Society in compliance with the Committee’s directions, but no purchaser, lessee or mortgage shall be concerned to enquire whether any such directions has been given.

Rule 19 - Dissolution.

If the number of members of the Society shall at any time fall below ten, or if at any time the Society shall pass in General Meeting by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the Voting Members present and voting at that General Meeting a resolution (in this rule called “the First Resolution”), of its intention to dissolve the Society, the Committee (or failing them the Trustees), shall take immediate steps to convert into money all the property of the Society, with power however to postpone or delay the conversion of any particular property if the Society in General Meeting shall so authorise. Out of the proceeds of such conversion, the Trustees shall discharge all debts and liabilities of the Society, including the expenses of such conversion, and any balance remaining in their hands shall be disposed of by them as the Society in General Meeting shall resolve, and thereupon the Society shall for all purposes be dissolved. Provided that if the Society shall not resolve upon disposition of any such balance within six months after the date of the First Resolution, such balance shall be divided equally between all persons who were Ordinary Members, Management Members of Fellow Members of the Society at the date of the First Resolution.

Rule 20 - Infraction of Rules.

Any infringement by a Member of the Rules or Regulations of the Society for the time being in force shall be taken immediate cognisance of by the Committee who (without prejudice to any other powers conferred on them) shall have the power to censure such Members or to proceed under Rule 8.

Rule 21 - Interpretation of Rules.

The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the Rules and Regulations for the time being in force in the Society. The decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Society and not provided for by such Rules and Regulations shall be final and binding on all Members.

Rule 22 - Admission of Strangers and Non-Members.

1. No non-Member shall be admitted to any of the Society’s functions or premises unless accompanied by a Member.
2. Non-Members shall not remain at a function or on the Society’s premises after the Member introducing him/her or them has left.
3. The Member introducing a non-Member to the Society’s premises or functions shall be responsible for his or her guest(s) observing the Society’s Rules and Regulations.