Before (end of 1985) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 53 · Conservative 6 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 56 · Conservative 3 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
Ward results
Blackfriars1 seat · turnout 32.6%
| J. Murphy | Labour | 1,996 |
| B. Williams | Conservative | 221 |
| V. Lowe | Lib/Sdp | 212 |
Broughton2 seats · turnout 32.4%
| J. Bryans | Labour | 1,882 |
| G. Wilson | Labour | 1,635 |
| W. Wilson | Conservative | 452 |
| D. Berens | Conservative | 419 |
| V. Reece | Lib/Sdp | 194 |
| C. Simmons | Lib/Sdp | 177 |
Claremont1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| P. Grimshaw | Labour | 2,274 |
| M. Hopkins | Conservative | 1,380 |
| P. Keaveney | Lib/Sdp | 622 |
Eccles1 seat · turnout 42.0%
| C. Johnson | Labour | 1,936 |
| T. Crellin | Conservative | 1,253 |
| A. McGarry | Lib/Sdp | 865 |
Irlam1 seat · turnout 35.6%
| J. Waddell | Labour | 2,110 |
| J. Williamson | Lib/Sdp | 714 |
Kersal2 seats · turnout 30.8%
| J. Jaffe | Labour | 1,736 |
| M. Hendy | Labour | 1,506 |
| R. Heron | Conservative | 1,254 |
| R. Silver | Conservative | 1,034 |
| F. Hilton | Lib/Sdp | 335 |
| G. Hilton | Lib/Sdp | 291 |
Langworthy1 seat · turnout 26.6%
| J Gaffney | Labour | 1,542 |
| H. Cowburn | Lib/Sdp | 284 |
| L. Broome | Conservative | 260 |
Little Hulton1 seat · turnout 34.8%
| T. Hobbs | Labour | 2,642 |
| E. Barber | Conservative | 392 |
| L. Revell | Lib/Sdp | 296 |
Pendlebury1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| F. Brockbank | Labour | 3,057 |
| M Waring | Conservative | 769 |
| A. Perks | Lib/Sdp | 407 |
Swinton North1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| D. Antrobus | Labour | 2,575 |
| J. Cottam | Conservative | 725 |
| M. Doyle | Lib/Sdp | 643 |
Swinton South1 seat · turnout 38.9%
| Barry Warner | Labour | 1,971 |
| R. Brook | Conservative | 1,447 |
| A. Winstanley | Lib/Sdp | 662 |
Walkden South1 seat · turnout 48.5%
| A. Price | Labour | 2,167 |
| D. Cowpe | Lib/Sdp | 2,140 |
| G. Berry | Conservative | 791 |
Weaste & Seedley1 seat · turnout 35.0%
| A. Ullman | Labour | 1,729 |
| J Hardman | Conservative | 667 |
| M. Stevens | Lib/Sdp | 564 |
Winton1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| V. Prior | Labour | 2,160 |
| P. Matthews | Lib/Sdp | 810 |
| J. Bolton | Conservative | 454 |