Before (end of 1985) (66 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 60 · Conservative 4 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (66 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 63 · Conservative 2 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
Ward results
Anston & Woodsetts2 seats · turnout 34.1%
| I. St John | Labour | 1,539 |
| R. Stonebridge | Labour | 1,500 |
| M. Ward | Lib/Sdp | 867 |
| R. Howden | Lib/Sdp | 858 |
| M. Dalby | Conservative | 772 |
| D. Darlay | Conservative | 736 |
Dalton Hooton Roberts & Thrybergh1 seat · turnout 32.8%
| J. Wootton | Labour | 2,909 |
| M. Bullivant | Lib/Sdp | 300 |
| M. Bowers | Conservative | 265 |
Herringthorpe1 seat · turnout 29.0%
| M. Sides | Labour | 1,934 |
| P. Turner | Lib/Sdp | 250 |
Maltby1 seat · turnout 35.4%
| J. Wright | Labour | 3,165 |
| E. Calland | Lib/Sdp | 1,092 |
| D. Sylvester | Conservative | 363 |