Bac Giang: “friendly authority” model proves effective

The "friendly authority" model at the People's Commitee of Tran Phu ward, Bac Giang city (Photo: VNA)

Bac Giang (VNA) – The “friendly authority” model in the northern province of Bac Giang has initially proven effective. The vision is to make government offices more civilized, polite, and friendly, innovating the working style of grassroots-level authority, toward satisfying the needs of citizens and businesses.

To enhance the efficiency of the model, from 2023, the locality will conduct scoring, recognising and rating communes, wards, and towns that meet the 'friendly authority' standards.

The “friendly authority” model was initiated in 2021 by the provincial Party Civil Affairs Committee, and the provincial Party Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation in three communes, focusing on three criteria: friendly staff; friendly operation of local authorities; and civilised and friendly working environment. The model has been expanded to 209 communes, wards, and towns across the province.

Le Loi ward in Bac Giang city applied the model in April last year, contributing to serving the people better in carrying out administrative procedures, and providing a civilised and friendly office environment.

Do Thi Tuyet, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Le Loi ward said every Friday, the ward arranges more civil servants at the one-stop-shop division to support and guide citizens in filling out forms and completing procedures and documents.

After nearly 12 months of implementation, the number of people implementing administrative procedures on Friday every week increased nearly three times.

In many wards, communes, and towns in Bac Giang, the model of "friendly authority" is linked with the model of "devoted and friendly communal police for the sake of the people". Since the end of November 2022, all communes and towns in the Luc Nam district launched the two models.

Head of the provincial Party Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation Pham Van Thinh said the development of the model aims to ensure the right of the people at the grassroots level to enjoy public services and satisfy their demands.  

The model has received positive feedback with an increasing satisfaction rate, which was reflected in surveys.

In Luc Nam, as many as 96% of respondents said they were satisfied with the service style and attitude of civil servants at the district and commune-level one-stop-shop division in 2022. Meanwhile, the satisfaction ratios for the authorities of 21 communes and towns reached between 90-98%.

From 2023, the province will rank and recognise communes, wards, and towns meeting the standard on the basis of 42 criteria. Accordingly, a unit will be recognised if it meets over 80% of the total criteria.

Bac Giang is striving to have 30% of its communes recognised in 2023. The ratio is expected to increase to 60% in 2024 and 100% in 2025.  

In August 2021, the provincial Party Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission in collaboration with the provincial Party Civil Affairs Committee issued Plan No. 30 on building the "friendly authority" model of communes, wards, and towns in Tran Phu ward, Bac Giang City; Doi Ngo town, in Luc Nam district; and Hop Duc commune in Tan Yen district.

The above-mentioned models have proven effective, and ensured openness and democracy, contributing to strongly improving the working style of grassroots authorities, and better serving the people.

Local authorities have promoted communication activities to raise public awareness, their responsibility for monitoring and making recommendations, and the right to enjoy public services brought by the model.

Attention has been paid to strengthening the application of information technology in order to promote supervision over activities by the local authorities through grassroots community self-management groups and researching and piloting software to survey and collect relevant opinions of local people and businesses./.