Before (end of 1985) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 19 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 18 · Other 2 · Labour 0
After (end of 1986) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 22 · Conservative 15 · Other 2 · Labour 0
Ward results
Buckingham2 seats · turnout 42.3%
| H. Morris | Conservative | 952 |
| C. Pelling | Conservative | 934 |
| A. Miller | Lib/Sdp | 536 |
| C. Connor | Lib/Sdp | 487 |
| G. Sweet | Labour | 174 |
| S. Barnes | Labour | 173 |
Churchill2 seats · turnout 50.0%
| J. Sherwood | — | 861 ✓ |
| C. Mitchell | — | 825 ✓ |
| W. Gray | Conservative | 665 |
| C. Kemp | Conservative | 663 |
| S. Aldrich | Labour | 154 |
Cokeham1 seat · turnout 37.5%
| J. Brooks | Lib/Sdp | 743 |
| B. Boggis | Conservative | 419 |
| B. Atkinson | Labour | 182 |
Eastbrook1 seat · turnout 52.4%
| K. Tullett | Lib/Sdp | 767 |
| Dunn R. | Conservative | 679 |
| C. Vinter | Labour | 483 |
Hillside1 seat · turnout 47.2%
| W. Callar | Conservative | 748 |
| J. Langridge | Labour | 690 |
| J. Durrant | Lib/Sdp | 350 |
Manor1 seat · turnout 51.3%
| D. Deedman | Lib/Sdp | 953 |
| J. Lewis | Conservative | 663 |
| C. Boon | Labour | 126 |
Marine1 seat · turnout 43.6%
| D. Hancock | RES | 717 ✓ |
| M. Lloyd | Conservative | 240 |
| Moyra Martin | Green | 80 |
| C Morris | Labour | 61 |
| E. Parsons | Lib/Sdp | 50 |
Mash Barn2 seats · turnout 29.3%
| P. Beresford | Lib/Sdp | 660 |
| J. Robinson | Lib/Sdp | 635 |
| D. Barnard | Conservative | 344 |
| G. Aldrich | Labour | 138 |
Southwick Green1 seat · turnout 45.3%
| A. Biggs | Lib/Sdp | 864 |
| B. Ferrers-Guy | Independent | 710 |
| J. Lansley | Labour | 157 |
St Nicolas1 seat · turnout 47.5%
| J. Huber | Conservative | 867 ✓ |
| D. Macfarlane | Lib/Sdp | 559 |
| K. Matthews | Labour | 206 |
| R. Hartland | Green | 137 |
Widewater1 seat · turnout 45.5%
| S. Osborne | Lib/Sdp | 904 |
| L. Hillier | Conservative | 874 |
| K. Pettiford | Labour | 185 |