Amidst the overwhelming workload, Hue entered a period of restructuring the apparatus: cutting down on focal points, merging units, rearranging personnel... With tireless efforts, the city has successfully completed the requirements and tasks set out.

City leaders inspect preparations for the operation of the two-level local government apparatus by the end of June 2025.

Solving the problem of "who stays, who goes"

Before implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, dated October 25, 2017 of the Central Executive Committee on a number of issues to continue innovating and streamlining the apparatus of the political system to be streamlined and operate effectively and efficiently, like many other localities, the administrative apparatus of Hue City still has many shortcomings. The specialized departments and offices under the City People's Committee have too many focal points, overlapping functions, and ineffective coordination. At the commune level, the large number of administrative units and uneven population make the apparatus cumbersome and lacking in streamlining. The staffing of cadres, civil servants, and public employees generally meets the requirements, but there are still local surpluses, unreasonable structures, and uneven quality.

Party Central Committee member, City Party Committee Secretary, People's Council Chairman, Head of the City National Assembly Delegation Le Truong Luu affirmed: "The arrangement of the administrative apparatus is not only a major policy of the Central Government, but also an inevitable requirement to build a streamlined, effective and efficient administration. The focus is to eliminate inappropriate intermediate levels, bring the apparatus closer to the people, serve practical needs better. For Hue, in the process of building an urban government and developing the city in the direction of a centrally-run heritage city, this is an even more urgent requirement.

In the process of streamlining, human resources is the key and also the biggest challenge. The problem of “who stays, who goes” is always sensitive. After the merger, many staff are redundant, the rearrangement of work inevitably creates anxiety and comparison; at the same time, we must ensure the set progress and maintain stability in the team's mentality.

People of Quang Dien commune come to do administrative procedures at the commune's Public Administration Service Center.

Mr. Nguyen Van Manh, Director of the Department of Home Affairs, shared that as soon as the City Party Committee and People's Committee assigned him the task of implementing Resolution 18 on restructuring the apparatus, his first feeling was that he was very worried. This is a big, sensitive task that directly affects the apparatus and people. These are cadres who have been with the agencies and units for many years. There are cadres who, upon hearing the policy, were initially hesitant and worried about their positions and jobs after the restructuring. The number of cadres, civil servants, and non-professional workers who are redundant after the merger is also a problem, requiring a reasonable solution to ensure legitimate rights and stabilize the mindset of this group. We understand that this is not only an organizational restructuring, but also a restructuring of thinking and operating habits. That is not an easy thing.

In the process of implementing the arrangement of commune-level administrative units in Hue City, it can be said that the most complicated cases are those in which the arrangement plan is developed related to inner-city wards, where the population density is high, the history of formation is long, and associated with many cultural factors, beliefs, and specific living habits of the residents. Each old ward has its own traditions, names, and administrative boundaries that have long been associated with the spiritual life of the people, so when arranging, it is inevitable that there will be concerns and worries.

“I remember very clearly a working session with the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee when discussing the plan to merge some administrative units at the commune and ward levels. That meeting was very tense. Some opinions said that the merger could affect the interests of the people if the infrastructure and service areas were not carefully considered. The leaders of the departments and offices also had different views. The meeting lasted until late afternoon, but in the end, thanks to democracy, frankness and the spirit of putting the common interest first, the most optimal plan was agreed upon,” Mr. Nguyen Van Manh recalled.

Leave the office at 2-3 am

At the end of 2024, Hue entered a restructuring period to meet the criteria of a centrally-run city; it seemed that having previous experience would be favorable, but in reality, many more difficulties arose when implementing the restructuring of the apparatus according to Resolution 18.

According to Mr. Dang Van Son, Deputy Head of the City Party Committee's Organization Committee, the previous arrangements were mainly mechanical, so the apparatus was not really stable. When the district and county levels were abolished, the arrangement of cadres became more complicated. Many cadres who had just been temporarily assigned had to wait for adjustments, creating chaos. Some vacant positions during the waiting period were not filled, causing the workload to fall on the remaining people.

As July 1, the official start of the two-level local government, approaches, the volume of documents to be processed increases dramatically. Projects to establish party committees, party cells, and personnel work in 40 wards and communes are being implemented simultaneously. A series of decisions appointing executive committees and standing committees of wards and communes are being issued continuously.

Mr. Son said: “At the end of June 2025, there were hundreds of documents issued every day. After the City Party Committee conferences, the number increased to several hundred, and if separated, it could even reach thousands. Sometimes the input was just a document asking for opinions, but the output generated hundreds of related documents. The work pressure was huge. Many nights, we had to work until 2-3 am to issue documents for the next day. The Head of the Organizing Committee, including me, almost every day left the office at midnight and continued working early in the morning.”

Mr. Vo Van Vui, former Secretary of Phong Dien Town Party Committee, recalled the last days of June 2025 as a particularly tense period: “When the policy of abolishing the district level took effect from July 1, the town had to urgently complete the arrangement and deployment of cadres. We worked continuously, often until late at night to ensure that the apparatus was not interrupted. It was that sense of responsibility that helped Phong Dien complete its mission before the historic moment.”

Scientific and objective

In the early days of implementation, many localities were confused, not knowing whether to build the new apparatus according to district or commune standards. If it was based on district standards, most of the cadres would not meet the standards; and if it was only calculated at the old commune level, it would be disadvantageous for cadres with higher capacity.

To resolve the issue, the City Party Committee's Organizing Committee and the Department of Home Affairs advised the City Party Committee and the City People's Committee to implement the roadmap, adjusting as they go, ensuring publicity, transparency and democracy. Ideological work is focused on, and cadres are able to meet and exchange directly to create consensus. Personnel arrangement is based on capacity and strengths, while also being linked to training and development so that cadres can work with peace of mind in the new environment.

Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council, Head of the City National Assembly Delegation Le Truong Luu assessed: "The arrangement of administrative units according to the 2-level local government model is both sensitive and complicated, directly affecting the organization and people's lives. Therefore, immediately after the Resolution of the Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee promptly issued many directive documents, thoroughly disseminating to all cadres, party members and authorities at all levels."

In particular, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee issued a set of specific criteria for each position, using standards as a measure instead of sentiment. With the title of ward party secretary, key positions at the commune and ward levels have detailed regulations on qualifications, capacity, and experience. The grassroots have the right to choose first, then the City Party Committee's Organization Committee reviews, evaluates, and decides; thus, it is both objective and promotes local initiative; only when there are not enough qualified personnel will department-level cadres be transferred.

During the process of building criteria, the City Party Committee continuously asked for the Central Committee's opinions. Although the Central Committee was still researching and had no final regulations at that time, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee boldly built a set of criteria that was almost equivalent to the district level. That initiative and decisiveness helped the process of selecting and arranging cadres to be stable and avoid stagnation.

“The set of criteria is considered an objective “measure” to select and arrange staff appropriately, ensuring both standards and promoting the capacity and strengths of each person. Thanks to that, the selection and arrangement of personnel no longer depends on emotions but becomes transparent and public, limiting concerns and comparisons within the team,” emphasized Secretary of the City Party Committee Le Truong Luu.

At the same time, working groups were also assigned to support wards and communes in the initial stages of operating the new apparatus. This is a practical solution, helping local authorities quickly adapt to the new management model, ensuring that all administrative activities, from handling procedures for people to managing urban order and security, are not interrupted. Reality has proven that thanks to the drastic and synchronous participation from top to bottom, the two-level local government apparatus in Hue has gradually stabilized, creating trust and social consensus.

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DUC QUANG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/tinh-gon-de-hoat-dong-hieu-nang-hieu-luc-hieu-qua-bai-1-khoa-hoc-khach-quan-va-cong-tam-158035.html