Councils will be required to publish details of how each councillor votes on budget decisions such as raising or freezing council tax.
Mr Pickles said the new regulations to put individual voting records in the public domain would increase council transparency and accountability.
Mr Pickles said: ‘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.
‘The changes we have introduced today will strengthen the local accountability around council tax. With voting decisions openly recorded and local referendums for excessive increases, council tax bills will no longer dodge local democracy...’
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