Before (end of 1985) (44 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 24 · Conservative 18 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (44 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 25 · Conservative 17 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 0
Ward results
Alvaston1 seat · turnout 37.5%
| W. Matthews | Labour | 1,284 |
| D. Adams | Lib/Sdp | 943 |
| M Bertalan | Conservative | 780 |
Babington1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| B. Schofield | Labour | 1,663 |
| M. Burgess | Lib/Sdp | 763 |
| P. Fullarton | Conservative | 489 |
Blagreaves1 seat · turnout 47.3%
| J. Keith | Conservative | 1,599 |
| M Ainsley | Labour | 1,518 |
| D. George | Lib/Sdp | 692 |
Boulton1 seat · turnout 40.6%
| A. Kennedy | Labour | 1,680 |
| B. Thompson | Conservative | 1,140 |
| P. Harlow | Lib/Sdp | 1,056 |
Breadsall1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| E. Ward | Labour | 1,988 |
| G. Andrews | Conservative | 1,051 |
| H. Holbrook | Lib/Sdp | 592 |
Littleover1 seat · turnout 45.9%
| L. Shepley | Conservative | 1,498 |
| A. Cooper | Lib/Sdp | 903 |
| J. Broughton | Labour | 887 |
Mackworth1 seat · turnout 38.1%
| R. Baxter | Labour | 1,675 |
| A. Mayell | Conservative | 743 |
| R. Jackson | Lib/Sdp | 374 |
Mickleover1 seat · turnout 43.3%
| R. Keene | Conservative | 1,783 |
| A. Wilbraham | Lib/Sdp | 999 |
| M. McReynolds | Labour | 849 |
Normanton1 seat · turnout 35.1%
| L. Shillingford | Labour | 1,584 |
| K. Lester | Conservative | 743 |
| W. Drew | Lib/Sdp | 375 |
Osmaston1 seat · turnout 22.7%
| R. Laxton | Labour | 1,226 |
| D. Brown | Conservative | 289 |
| P. Elsbury | Lib/Sdp | 208 |
Sinfin1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| N. Dhindsa | Labour | 1,517 |
| B. Larimore | Conservative | 595 |
| P. James | Lib/Sdp | 401 |
Spondon1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| Du Sautoy G | Conservative | 1,851 |
| M. Tanvir | Labour | 1,419 |
| R. Guilford | Lib/Sdp | 880 |