Before (end of 1985) (40 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 29 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 8 · Labour 2 · Other 1
After (end of 1986) (40 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 23 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 10 · Labour 6 · Other 1
Ward results
Grange & Rawreth1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| S. Skinner | Lib/Sdp | 697 |
| D Geach | Conservative | 487 |
| S. Cox | Labour | 367 |
Hawkwell East1 seat · turnout 33.0%
| J. Sheaf | Conservative | 801 |
| M. Stevens | Lib/Sdp | 464 |
| S. Leftley | Labour | 386 |
Hockley East1 seat · turnout 31.3%
| C. Faherty | Conservative | 645 |
| Jean Ross Christie | Labour | 358 |
Hullbridge Riverside1 seat · turnout 37.5%
| D. Flack | Labour | 529 |
| E. Letch | Conservative | 423 |
| M. Menning | Lib/Sdp | 207 |
Hullbridge South1 seat · turnout 33.6%
| R. Brown | Conservative | 413 |
| A. Malcolm | Labour | 379 |
Lodge1 seat · turnout 40.1%
| M. Handford | Lib/Sdp | 919 |
| J. Murison | Conservative | 759 |
| J Foley | Labour | 194 |
Rayleigh Central1 seat · turnout 39.9%
| S. Silva | Independent | 499 |
| R. Foster | Conservative | 344 |
| N. Harris | Lib/Sdp | 316 |
Rochford Eastwood1 seat · turnout 52.6%
| W. Budge | Conservative | 233 ✓ |
| G Tasker | Labour | 231 |
| P. Saunders | Lib/Sdp | 208 |
| G. Skinner | IND RATE | 42 |
Rochford Roche1 seat · turnout 50.8%
| C Stephenson | Labour | 408 |
| D. Eade | Conservative | 230 |
| J. Haslam | Lib/Sdp | 125 |
Rochford St. Andrews1 seat · turnout 48.9%
| D. Weir | Labour | 453 |
| P. Easter | Conservative | 443 |
| B. Cummings | Lib/Sdp | 309 |
Wheatley1 seat · turnout 45.5%
| B. Lovett | Conservative | 538 |
| J. Gordon | Lib/Sdp | 482 |
| G. Plackett | Labour | 104 |