Before (end of 1985) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 27 · Labour 25 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 5 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 26 · Labour 25 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 6 · Other 0
Ward results
Alexandra1 seat · turnout 44.4%
| A. Bennett | Lib/Sdp | 841 |
| S. Hogben | Labour | 823 |
Audlem1 seat · turnout 45.4%
| M. Furber | Conservative | 526 |
| H. Hilton | Labour | 164 |
| G. Sanders | Lib/Sdp | 89 |
Barony Weaver1 seat · turnout 49.9%
| N. Killick | Labour | 1,059 |
| E. Bradshaw | Conservative | 856 |
Combermere1 seat
| H. Clewlow | Conservative | 0 ✓ |
Coppenhall1 seat · turnout 25.7%
| R. Billington | Labour | 1,037 |
| J. Lee | Conservative | 270 |
Delamere1 seat · turnout 40.9%
| J. Bratherton | Lib/Sdp | 684 |
| J. Welch | Labour | 541 |
Grosvenor1 seat · turnout 71.8%
| C. Thorley | Labour | 760 ✓ |
| A. Silvester | Conservative | 125 |
Haslington1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| J. Nield | Conservative | 646 |
| F. Hughes | Lib/Sdp | 371 |
| S. Brady | Labour | 338 |
Maw Green1 seat · turnout 29.9%
| D. Hassall | Labour | 1,106 |
| B. Edge | Conservative | 150 |
Peckforton1 seat · turnout 37.7%
| W. Davies | Conservative | 364 |
| P. Buckley | Labour | 99 |
Queens Park1 seat · turnout 73.2%
| L. Davies | Labour | 1,054 ✓ |
| P. Grindley | Conservative | 268 |
Ruskin Park1 seat · turnout 40.0%
| L. Brydon | Labour | 830 |
| W. Harding | Conservative | 634 |
Shavington1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| P. Owen | Conservative | 757 |
| K. Jones | Labour | 621 |
| H. Allison | Lib/Sdp | 315 |
St Barnabas1 seat · turnout 29.1%
| Golding J. | Labour | 820 |
| G. Wettern | Conservative | 180 |
St. Johns2 seats · turnout 87.6%
| L. Turnock | Labour | 826 ✓ |
| Violet Roberts | Labour | 813 ✓ |
| R. Copeland | Conservative | 315 |
Waldron1 seat · turnout 37.8%
| P. Kent | Labour | 1,259 |
| J. Shine | Conservative | 253 |
| W. Houldsworth | Lib/Sdp | 203 |
Wellington1 seat · turnout 42.3%
| A. Porter | Conservative | 648 |
| S. Hope | Labour | 334 |
| W. Garner | Lib/Sdp | 284 |
Willaston West1 seat · turnout 42.7%
| A. Blackley | Conservative | 631 |
| I. Mumford | Labour | 250 |
| K. Roberts | Lib/Sdp | 234 |
