Before (end of 1985) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 37 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Labour 5 · Other 5
After (end of 1986) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 32 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 14 · Labour 5 · Other 4
Ward results
St Barnabas1 seat · turnout 56.6%
| A. Mitchell | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1,173 ✓ |
| J. Freeman | Conservative | 780 |
| C. Orchard | Labour | 256 |
| G. Casebourne | Green | 53 |
St. John & All Saints1 seat · turnout 44.3%
| J. Cloyne | Labour | 1,159 |
| R. Owen | Lib/Sdp | 688 |