Before (end of 1985) (52 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 25 · Other 16 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 8 · Labour 3
After (end of 1986) (52 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 24 · Other 13 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 10 · Labour 5
Ward results
Kendal Castle1 seat
| J. Studholme | Lib/Sdp | 0 ✓ |
Kendal Far Cross1 seat · turnout 50.9%
| S. Buckingham | Lib/Sdp | 405 |
| J. Atkinson | Conservative | 271 |
| R. Wyatt | Labour | 115 |
Kendal Fell1 seat · turnout 42.1%
| F. Thompson | Lib/Sdp | 324 |
| R. Brayshaw | Conservative | 219 |
| J. Kaye | Independent | 65 |
Kendal Glebelands1 seat
| W. Stewart | Independent | 0 ✓ |
Kendal Heron Hill1 seat · turnout 47.1%
| S. Moss | Lib/Sdp | 526 |
| R. Harris | Conservative | 322 |
Kendal Highgate1 seat · turnout 39.3%
| M. Jowett | Labour | 337 |
| B. Coulter | Independent | 272 |
Kendal Mintsfeet1 seat · turnout 44.5%
| R. Burrell | Conservative | 416 |
| G. Perrins | Lib/Sdp | 233 |
Kendal Nether1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| J. Noble | Conservative | 347 |
| M. Gee | Lib/Sdp | 251 |
| I. Francis | Labour | 136 |
Kendal Oxenholme1 seat · turnout 43.3%
| A. Brown | Lib/Sdp | 413 |
| M. Nelson | Conservative | 289 |
Kendal Stonecross1 seat
| B. Todd | Independent | 0 ✓ |
Kendal Strickland1 seat · turnout 44.3%
| C. Reynolds | Lib/Sdp | 324 |
| J. Dean | Conservative | 211 |
| P. Barnes | Labour | 106 |
Kendal Underley1 seat · turnout 44.9%
| J. Blamire | Labour | 367 |
| M. Charlton | Conservative | 269 |
Lakes Ambleside1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| S. Ellis | Conservative | 455 |
| R. Long | Independent | 364 |
| R. Shapland | Lib/Sdp | 269 |
Lakes Grasmere1 seat · turnout 39.6%
| E. Braithwaite | Independent | 524 |
| J. Tomlinson | Labour | 94 |
Pennington1 seat · turnout 56.6%
| W. Tyson | Conservative | 374 |
| R Scott | Labour | 169 |
| J. Duffy | Lib/Sdp | 164 |
Sedbergh1 seat
| D. Falconer | Conservative | 0 ✓ |