The idea of having a local council made up of residents and headed by a Member of Parliament was mooted in 1984 by Lim Boon Heng, then Member of Parliament for Kebun Baru. The intention was to give residents more say in the upkeep and improvements of their own estates, duties which were borne by Housing and Development Board (HDB) then. It was felt that a stronger sense of ownership and identity would be nurtured as well.
Ang Mo Kio was chosen for piloting the concept as it was relatively new and would require less maintenance. Its grassroots infrastructure was strong and would contribute to making the concept a success. Three town councils, Ang Mo Kio West, Ang Mo Kio East and Ang Mo Kio South, were established. They operated from HDB area offices and the first meeting was held on 1 September 1986 by Ang Mo Kio East Town Council. Within the first six months, residents had implemented several ideas for better estate management, including the installation of ceiling fans at a hawker centre, adding more carpark lots and putting up maps showing locations of blocks, facilities and bus routes in Ang Mo Kio.
After the first year, the idea was deemed a success. The model was refined after taking into consideration lessons learnt by the three pioneer Town Councils and the Town Council Act was passed in 1988 to implement the model across housing estates.
In Ang Mo Kio today, the Ang Mo Kio Town Council manages the estates through four offices, with the main office housed here.