Following the Điện Biên provincial Party Committee’s resolution on the plan to conclude district-level operations, restructure and merge commune-level administrative units, and organize the political system, localities are now focusing on leading and implementing tasks in compliance with regulations and timelines. The goal is to ensure that newly established commune and ward administrative structures operate smoothly, efficiently, effectively, and serve the people in a close and responsive manner. Among these, developing staffing plans at the commune level are being conducted swiftly yet cautiously, ensuring alignment with the Party’s and the State’s legal regulations.

The provincial Party Committee’s Commission for Organization has taken the lead in drafting a temporary regulation on commune-level leadership standards (including a list of positions and titles for staffing commune-level leadership and management roles). The draft regulation has been circulated for feedback from the provincial Party Committee, and relevant agencies and localities. It is currently being finalized and is expected to be issued by the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee in May 2025. This temporary regulation will serve as the basis for organizing the new commune-level leadership staff once the relevant authority officially establishes the new units.

At present, the central government has not issued specific commune-level staffing quotas. According to guidance, the expected staffing level for specialized Party work (including staff for advisory bodies, Party secretaries, and deputy secretaries of Party committees) is about 15-17 staff members per commune or ward Party committee; for those located in district or city political centers, around 20. Projected allocations are: communes with fewer than 400 Party members - 15 positions; 500 to under 800 - 16 positions; more than 800 - up to 17 positions.

For administrative agencies, the government’s orientation is for each commune to average 32 staff members (including those in leadership roles for People’s Councils and People’s Committees). Thus, for an expected 45 communes and wards in the province, the total staffing for local governments is estimated at 1,440 positions.

Staffing allocation criteria include: Communes/wards with an area or population (or both) under 200% of the standard will receive 28 staff positions; depending on the size and characteristics of each unit, additional staff may be added. For every 50% increase in area or population, one additional staff position is granted per criterion; border communes are allocated one additional position; communes formed from the merger of three communes or townships are granted one extra position; communes with complex security conditions receive one additional position; and reorganized wards are allocated three additional positions.

Total staffing should not exceed 36 positions per commune and 39 per ward, while the overall province-wide limit of 1,440 staff for commune-level governance remains in place after the five-year stabilization period.

To ensure Party committees in communes and wards can function immediately upon establishment, all existing district-level staff will be temporarily reassigned to commune-level units. Current district-level leadership and management personnel will form the core of the new commune-level administrative teams. Simultaneously, there will be plans and training roadmaps for current commune and ward officials to meet standards and requirements for working in the new administrative structures. After the new communes and wards begin operating, the province will annually assign staffing based on each unit’s size, socio-economic conditions, and unique characteristics.

In parallel with organizing commune-level officials and staff, the province is also addressing the policies and benefits of civil servants, public employees, and workers during the streamlining of the administrative apparatus, particularly at the two levels of government. Specifically, the Government has issued Decree No.178/2024/NĐ-CP (December 31, 2024) and Decree No.67/2025/NĐ-CP (March 15, 2025) to resolve entitlements for personnel affected by the restructuring. These entitlements will be implemented following the official decision to conclude district-level administrative operations, starting July 1, 2025.

In Nậm Pồ district, there are currently 120 district-level civil servants and 61 public employees; at the commune level, there are 297 civil servants and 179 part-time workers. To ensure effective staffing during the commune-level administrative restructuring, the district Party Committee’s Sub-commission for Organization has worked with relevant departments to review and assess the situation and aspirations of staff, ensuring that all policies are properly applied. This approach helps build consensus among public servants and lays a strong foundation for building a local government that is close to the people and able to respond effectively to public needs, thereby promoting socio-economic development and improving people’s lives.