The sector executive put forward a rule change motion to enable all members employed in the civil service and public services to be allocated to its public services sector.

Prospect’s rules must recognise our ambition to broaden and deepen our membership, deputy general secretary Garry Graham told delegates.

He pointed out that although members may be delivering public services, many of them are not civil servants and do not work for directly related bodies.

“Wherever they work, our members want their union to champion their professionalism and highlight how they and their organisations contribute to making this country better.

“Pensions, severance terms, redundancies, workloads – we need to be joined up in how we respond,” said Graham.

Ian Hardy (MoD Joint Forces Command) asked why the executive had not consulted branches first.

He warned that the proposals could lead to a sector of two halves: civil service and non-civil service.

Neil Hope-Collins (Health and Safety Executive) pointed out that “we already have a civil service with different terms and conditions”.

“We need a single voice when dealing with government. If we allow government to divide us, we let them win,” Hope-Collins concluded.

Helen Snaith (Natural Environment Research Council) said NERC used to be part of the civil service but was hived off 20 years ago – but it is still under government control.

“The sector is not purely civil service and it is important that the rules recognise this,” she added.