Ministers have laid out new guidelines forcing councils to publish, as a matter of record, how individual members vote on decisions relating to budgets - including council tax levels.

The amended regulations issued in Parliament today will make it mandatory for authorities to alter their own standing orders to incorporate provisions demanding recorded votes at budget meetings.

In a written ministerial statement, communities secretary Eric Pickles, cited a survey released in August by the Conservative Way Forward campaign group, which reported 78% of councils either could not or would not disclose how councillors had voted on setting that year's council taxes.  Three quarters of councils, which spurned the cash grant to freeze levels, had not recorded their votes, the research also showed.

Mr Pickles stated the measure would complement the Local Audit and Accountability Act, which received Royal Assent last week, in enhancing accountability and paving the way for greater reporting on council meetings.

‘Much like an MP, how a councillor votes should be a matter of public record so the electorate can see each decision has their best interests at heart,' Mr Pickles said.

‘The changes we have introduced today will strengthen the local accountability around council tax,' he added.

‘With voting decisions openly recorded and local referendums for excessive increases, council tax bills will no longer dodge local democracy,' Mr Pickles said.

In a letter sent to council leaders this afternoon, local government minister Brandon Lewis stated the Government's expectation is that all councils would adopt the practice of recorded votes at this year's budget meetings on any decision relating to the budget or council tax.

‘I recognise that some councils may be holding budget meetings before they have formally amended their Standing Orders, but nothing prevents the council from simply resolving to holding a recorded vote, in line with the regulations,' Mr Lewis added.