Before (end of 1985) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 13 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 10 · Labour 8 · Other 1
After (end of 1986) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 13 · Conservative 11 · Labour 8 · Other 0
Ward results
Ashdown1 seat · turnout 37.5%
| G. Longmire | Conservative | 747 |
| J. Marsden | Lib/Sdp | 485 |
| D. Smith | Labour | 292 |
Braybrooke1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| M. Hall | Lib/Sdp | 792 |
| I. Sier | Labour | 479 |
| D. McConnell | Conservative | 368 |
Elphinstone1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| G. Osman | Lib/Sdp | 692 ✓ |
| J. Lloyd | Conservative | 538 |
| N. Bates | Labour | 318 |
| P. Bolwell | Green | 53 |
Gensing1 seat · turnout 31.9%
| C. Amstad | Lib/Sdp | 585 |
| B. Brown | Conservative | 455 |
| M. Francis | Labour | 255 |
Hollington1 seat · turnout 36.9%
| P. Nester | Labour | 813 |
| P. Mitchell | Lib/Sdp | 311 |
| R. Marchant | Independent | 137 |
Maze Hill1 seat · turnout 32.3%
| J. Baker | Conservative | 711 ✓ |
| C. Hughes | Lib/Sdp | 283 |
| D. Elliott | Labour | 196 |
| B. Sloan | Green | 73 |
Mount Pleasant1 seat · turnout 43.0%
| T. Randell | Labour | 834 |
| N. Rowden | Lib/Sdp | 695 |
| M. Payne | Conservative | 308 |
Old Hastings1 seat · turnout 47.3%
| C. Holden | Lib/Sdp | 594 ✓ |
| A. Burgess | Conservative | 489 |
| E. Hayes | Labour | 430 |
| K. Leech | Green | 132 |
Ore1 seat · turnout 41.7%
| I. Steel | Lib/Sdp | 843 |
| Kempa R. | Labour | 569 |
| J Marshall | Conservative | 249 |
Silverhill1 seat · turnout 38.6%
| P. Smith | Lib/Sdp | 779 ✓ |
| L. Russell | Conservative | 361 |
| A. Maloney | Labour | 340 |
| L. Sloan | Green | 81 |
West St. Leonards1 seat · turnout 39.4%
| J. Fabian | Conservative | 700 |
| D. Simpson | Lib/Sdp | 642 |
| R. Bull | Labour | 400 |