Before (end of 1985) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 39 · Conservative 12 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 3 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 41 · Conservative 8 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 5 · Other 0
Ward results
Barclay1 seat · turnout 38.2%
| R. Wilson | Labour | 1,095 |
| C. Park | Conservative | 180 |
| S. Parkinson | Lib/Sdp | 142 |
Briercliffe1 seat · turnout 43.2%
| J. Gallop | Lib/Sdp | 581 |
| P. Hill | Conservative | 217 |
| J. Eccles | Labour | 208 |
Burnley Wood1 seat · turnout 48.0%
| P. French | Lib/Sdp | 762 |
| A. Martin | Labour | 573 |
| D Heginbotham | Conservative | 193 |
Cliviger1 seat · turnout 43.3%
| J Wyld | Conservative | 365 |
| A. Nicholson | Lib/Sdp | 350 |
| J. Phillips | Labour | 104 |
Coal Clough1 seat · turnout 39.1%
| P. Swainston | Labour | 776 |
| N. Holt | Conservative | 195 |
| J. Anforth | Lib/Sdp | 121 |
Daneshouse1 seat · turnout 46.3%
| M. Roberts | Labour | 867 |
| A. Gunn | Lib/Sdp | 578 |
| D. Ormerod | Conservative | 185 |
Fulledge1 seat · turnout 45.9%
| I. Wilson | Labour | 764 |
| G. Williams | Lib/Sdp | 589 |
| F. Meredith | Conservative | 155 |
Gawthorpe1 seat · turnout 40.4%
| A. Hudson | Labour | 728 |
| P. Stinton | Conservative | 406 |
| K. Kirkham | Lib/Sdp | 307 |
Heasandford1 seat · turnout 48.7%
| K. Butterworth | Labour | 1,216 |
| R. Donavan | Lib/Sdp | 442 |
| A. Capstick | Conservative | 249 |
Lanehead1 seat · turnout 45.6%
| T. Burns | Labour | 923 |
| D. Foster | Lib/Sdp | 610 |
| R. Capstick | Conservative | 428 |
Lowerhouse1 seat · turnout 39.7%
| W. Hall | Labour | 853 |
| W. Smith | Conservative | 306 |
| M. Booth | Lib/Sdp | 215 |
Park1 seat · turnout 45.1%
| M. Clegg | Labour | 789 |
| K. Dacey | Lib/Sdp | 458 |
| R. Marsden | Conservative | 230 |
Queensgate1 seat · turnout 47.7%
| P. Kenyon | Labour | 829 |
| D. Pound | Lib/Sdp | 509 |
| E. Loder | Conservative | 360 |
Rosehill1 seat · turnout 53.5%
| B. Ashworth | Lib/Sdp | 948 |
| D. Pickup | Conservative | 664 |
| M. Majib | Labour | 421 |
Trinity1 seat · turnout 48.9%
| Johnstone M. | Labour | 760 |
| Carr B. | Conservative | 479 |
| V. Clark | Lib/Sdp | 117 |
Whittlefield2 seats · turnout 48.7%
| S Caddy | Labour | 727 |
| R Robinson | Conservative | 714 |
| E. Tate | Conservative | 697 |
| P. Bilham | Labour | 648 |
| C. White | Lib/Sdp | 509 |
| D. Eccles | Lib/Sdp | 407 |