Neighborhood leaders and local party cell secretaries are facing very different demands in traditional residential communities and newly developed urban areas, prompting calls from Hanoi lawmakers for more flexible standards and management mechanisms.

Speaking during discussions on a draft resolution governing the organization and operation of villages, residential clusters and support policies for part-time grassroots officials at a special session of the 17th Hanoi People's Council on June 2, delegates highlighted growing disparities between traditional neighborhoods and large urban developments.

Hoang Thi Thuy Hang, Party Secretary and Chairwoman of the People's Council of Tay Mo Ward, said local experience has revealed significant differences between long-established communities and new urban areas.

According to Hang, neighborhood heads, party cell secretaries and community front leaders in traditional residential areas are often older individuals who enjoy strong community trust, possess extensive social experience and have built long-standing relationships with residents.

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Hoang Thi Thuy Hang, Party Secretary and Chairwoman of the People's Council of Tay Mo Ward.

However, in new urban developments such as Vinhomes Smart City, where residents come from many different provinces and backgrounds, the selection criteria are entirely different.

Hang said factors such as age and traditional prestige are no longer the most important considerations. Instead, local leaders need dynamism, legal knowledge, persuasive communication skills and a professional approach to problem-solving.

As grassroots authorities accelerate digital transformation, the requirements placed on neighborhood heads and party cell secretaries are becoming increasingly demanding, she said. Because these officials are responsible for implementing policies directly at the household level, Hanoi should consider a more professionalized model that encourages younger people to participate.

Some residential clusters have populations equivalent to an entire ward

Offering a rural perspective, Nguyen Trong Son, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Council of Phu Oai Commune, said qualification standards should reflect practical realities.

He noted that many respected village heads and party cell secretaries are elderly residents who enjoy strong public trust. Setting standards that are too rigid or demanding could make it difficult to identify suitable candidates.

Son also pointed to another challenge: while many senior community leaders are highly respected, some have limited digital skills. This could create difficulties when implementing online meetings, digital applications and new administrative tasks unless additional support mechanisms are available.

One issue that drew particular attention was the size of residential clusters in newly developed urban areas.

Pham Quang Tuan, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Council of Kieu Phu Commune, said the role of villages and residential clusters would become even more important under Vietnam's new two-tier local government model because they serve as the most basic units connecting authorities with residents.

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Photo: Hoang Ha

Under the draft proposal, villages in commune-level areas would generally have at least 500 households, while residential clusters in wards would have around 700 households.

In reality, however, the size of residential clusters varies greatly. Some contain just over 700 households, while others in large apartment complexes and urban developments exceed 3,000 households.

Tuan said this reality requires careful consideration of policies, staffing arrangements and governance mechanisms. In some major residential developments, poorly defined administrative boundaries could result in a residential cluster with a population comparable to that of an entire ward under the previous administrative structure.

"In some apartment complexes and urban developments, if boundaries are not defined carefully, the population could be equivalent to that of an entire ward in the past," Tuan said.

He also argued that qualification standards for grassroots officials should remain flexible. Many people over the age of 70 remain healthy, highly respected and capable of effectively managing community affairs, he said, warning that overly strict age requirements could unnecessarily exclude qualified candidates.

Thanh Hue