Regulations on the framework number of rooms under the commune-level People's Committee are amended and supplemented by Article 8 of Decree 370/2025/ND-CP
Based on industry groups, fields and criteria for classifying administrative units, population size, natural area, development level, socio-economic conditions, decentralization and delegation of power between local government levels and specific factors of each type of administrative unit, the Provincial People's Committee decides on the number and name of specialized departments applied at commune-level administrative units within its management scope, ensuring not exceeding:
On average, 4.5 organizations (including: professional departments and Public Administration Service Centers) per commune-level administrative unit;
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City alone ensure not exceeding the average of 4.7 organizations (including: specialized departments and Public Administration Service Centers) per commune-level administrative unit.
The decision to establish specialized departments is decided by the local government at the commune level. In case commune-level administrative units do not establish specialized departments, specialized civil servants are arranged to advise and assist the commune-level People's Committee in state management of industries and fields according to regulations.
It can be seen that the new regulations have assigned provincial-level People's Committees to decide the framework number of commune-level professional departments, but not exceeding the average of 4.5 organizations/commune (including the Public Administration Service Center).
Regarding the regulations on commune-level professional departments, at a recent working session with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to guide localities to deploy flexibly, avoid rigid application, ensure compliance with the reality of each locality, and at the same time maintain room for adjustment when necessary.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, it is not necessary to organize identical professional departments simultaneously in all localities. Some places do not need to establish new departments; on the contrary, if there is a real need, then consider supplementing.
Regarding staffing, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive review, harmonize, and allocate reasonably between localities, avoiding the situation of surplus in some places and shortage in others, ensuring compliance with norms and task requirements.
Localities need to base on the provisions of Decree 370/2025/ND-CP to implement but must be flexible, avoiding rigid application.
Because establishing more departments means increasing leadership and personnel. Therefore, in some cases, keeping existing departments and strengthening human resources may be more effective than establishing new departments.
In Ho Chi Minh City, many communes and wards have proposed early guidance on establishing specialized departments, reducing pressure on commune-level economic - infrastructure - urban departments, according to Decree 370.
In Ninh Binh, the framework regulation on the number of rooms (including professional rooms and Public Administrative Service Centers) under the commune-level People's Committee has just been newly regulated as follows: Arrange 5 rooms/1 commune-level People's Committee for 64 commune-level administrative units and arrange 4 rooms/1 commune-level People's Committee for 65 commune-level administrative units.
For the group of 64 units (5 departments) as follows: Office of the People's Council and People's Committee; Economic Department (for communes) or Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Department (for wards); Department of Agriculture and Environment; Department of Culture - Society and Public Administration Service Center.
For the group of 65 units (4 departments): Office of the People's Council and People's Committee; Economic Department; Department of Culture - Society and Public Administration Service Center.
