The council consists of the mayor plus twenty-four councillors appointed to serve a one-year term by the Perak State Government.

MBI is responsible for public health and sanitation, waste removal and management, town planning, environmental protection and building control, social and economic development and general maintenance functions of urban infrastructure.

Ipoh City Council started as a Sanitary Board in 1893, formed by the British.

Currently, the boundary of the Council covers an area of 643 square kilometres with a population of over 720,000 people.

As the state capital of Perak, Ipoh serves as the centre of administration, commerce, sports, finance, politics, religion and education.