Before (end of 1985) (22 seats, Elections Centre)
Other 13 · Conservative 7 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Labour 0
After (end of 1986) (22 seats, Elections Centre)
Other 9 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Conservative 6 · Labour 0
Ward results
Bere Regis1 seat · turnout 46.3%
| V. Stone | Independent | 589 |
| S Shinn | Labour | 149 |
Langton1 seat · turnout 42.2%
| N. Priddle | Independent | 424 |
| J. Hedley | Labour | 91 |
Lytchett Matravers1 seat · turnout 53.5%
| A. McDonald | Independent | 538 |
| R. Endecott | Lib/Sdp | 501 |
| C. Norwood | Labour | 61 |
Lytchett Minster2 seats · turnout 29.4%
| J. McKechnie | Lib/Sdp | 1,002 |
| A. Moseley | Lib/Sdp | 818 |
| R. Parker | RES | 786 |
| C. Wilmot | Labour | 352 |
| J. Burns | Labour | 320 |
Swanage South1 seat · turnout 35.5%
| K. Marlow | Conservative | 574 |
| G. Hewlett | Lib/Sdp | 534 |
| J. Dight | RES | 371 |
Wareham1 seat · turnout 52.7%
| D. Budd | Lib/Sdp | 1,312 |
| D. Smith | Conservative | 826 |
| R Huskinson | Labour | 301 |
West Purbeck1 seat · turnout 48.1%
| C. Bond | Independent | 456 |
| W. Bentham | Labour | 103 |
Winfrith1 seat · turnout 41.2%
| B. Debenham | Independent | 446 |
| K. Dadds | Labour | 82 |