Three-quarters of readers say “law enforcement officer” means a police officer. Wandsworth’s council leader says it doesn’t. We asked. You answered.
The survey ran alongside our 5 March election fact-check. Just under 100 readers responded to each of six questions on Labour’s key election claims.
That is not a representative sample of Wandsworth residents, but on the law enforcement question (a test of language, not political preference), sample size matters less than the consistency of the answer. Here’s what you told us.
What you told us
Do you consider your council tax has been frozen?
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| No | 69% |
| Yes | 21% |
| Not sure | 10% |
Nearly seven in ten said no. Wandsworth Labour has made its council tax record a central election argument. Our analysis in February set out what comes next: a 34% rise is projected for next year, or the council runs out of money.
Have you heard about the need to increase council tax from next year?
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| Yes | 75% |
| No | 25% |
Three-quarters had already heard. One in four had not, a significant gap given that the increase, when it comes, will be unavoidable.
When Labour promised 1,000 homes in 2022, did you think that meant…
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| Ready to move into by 2026 | 70% |
| Some time before 2029 | 24% |
| Planning permission granted by 2026 | 7% |
Seven in ten understood the pledge to mean homes ready by this year. Only 24% understood it the way the council now describes it: delivery by 2029. This is not a verdict on intent. It is a record of what voters heard.
What do you understand by “law enforcement officer”?
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| A police officer (PC) | 76% |
| A community safety officer (PCSO) | 18% |
| Not sure | 6% |
Three-quarters said a police officer. Cllr Hogg said at Full Council in October 2025: “If we meant to say police officers, we would say police officers.” Readers disagree about what those words mean.
Should Wandsworth have funded police from developer levies, as Westminster did?
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| Yes | 80% |
| No | 8% |
| Not sure | 12% |
The most lopsided result. Eight in ten said Wandsworth should have done what Westminster did and used developer levies to fund dedicated police. The Conservative motion at the 4 March Full Council meeting said Westminster funded nine officers this way.
How much do you trust statistics in council election motions?
| Response | Share |
|---|---|
| Not much | 41% |
| Not at all | 40% |
| Somewhat | 15% |
| A lot | 4% |
Eight in ten trust statistics in council election motions “not much” or “not at all.” Worth keeping in mind when reading both parties’ claims before May.
What comes next
These claims are only a part of the issues surrounding the upcoming local elections. As well as testing manifesto claims, we will also review record in office and then, when other parties’ manifestos are released, we will review their claims and solutions.
We are preparing investigations into housing delivery, the council tax trajectory, the law enforcement pledge, domestic abuse and violence against women and girls services, and recycling and waste.
Polling day is 7 May. If you have information relevant to any of these investigations or specific topics you feel we haven’t outlined yet, contact news@putney.news.
The retiring councillors who spoke at Wandsworth’s last Full Council meeting asked the administration to be honest with the electorate before May. Readers have offered their verdict on how well that standard has been met so far.
