Procedures for handling sub-standard civil servants will be further streamlined, the Civil Service Bureau says, adding the Public Service Commission and the staff sides will be consulted on the proposal.

The bureau today told lawmakers that in the last five years, on average, 120 civil servants left due to disciplinary punishment or compulsory retirement.

In 2004-05, some 123 officers were removed for misconduct while seven were ordered to retire because of persistent sub-standard performance.

On the handling of persistent sub-standard performers, the bureau said procedures had been revised in 2003 to shorten the lead time for compulsorily retiring such officers.

Revised procedures

In the two years ending March, 18 civil servants were compulsorily retired because of persistent sub-standard performance, relative to the 16 cases in the four preceding years.

During the period, 79 civil servants were brought under supervision under the mechanism. Of them, 34 showed substantive improvement that rendered further actions unnecessary.

For the remaining 45 civil servants, 29 are still under supervision while 16 have left the service.

After reviewing the revised procedures, the bureau believes there is scope for further streamlining the procedures so that management action on persistent sub-standard performers can be taken in a more effective manner.

Existing principles stay

In drawing up proposals to further streamline the current procedures, the principles underlying the existing procedures will remain unchanged, the bureau said.

When an officer is not performing up to the required standard, they will be so advised, and helped to improve their performance through counselling, training or other administrative measures.

Recourse to retirement in the public interest will only be considered when these measures do not achieve the desired results.

The bureau will be guided by these principles in considering whether the procedures can be further streamlined and the lead time further reduced.

It will also ensure that the procedures adopted are fair and just, and that reasonable protection is given to the legitimate rights of individual officers.