Before (end of 1985) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 25 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 11 · Labour 3 · Other 0
After (end of 1986) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 20 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 15 · Labour 4 · Other 0
Ward results
Belfairs1 seat
| V. Topham | Lib/Sdp | 2,257 |
| T. Edwards | Conservative | 1,629 |
| L. Davidson | Labour | 303 |
Blenheim1 seat
| G. Cronkshaw | Lib/Sdp | 1,972 |
| T. Birdseye | Conservative | 1,587 |
| N. Boorman | Labour | 656 |
Eastwood1 seat
| D. Elf | Lib/Sdp | 1,829 |
| C. Terson | Conservative | 1,585 |
| P. Harrison | Labour | 415 |
Prittlewell1 seat
| J. Hugill | Lib/Sdp | 2,229 |
| S. Houghton | Conservative | 1,082 |
| J. Cole | Labour | 511 |
Shoebury1 seat
| D. Ascroft | Conservative | 2,214 |
| M. Howells | Labour | 1,435 |
| J. Ruhier | Lib/Sdp | 677 |
Southchurch1 seat
| M. Haine | Conservative | 1,661 |
| R. Hendry | Lib/Sdp | 1,228 |
| A. McAnulty | Labour | 632 |
St. Luke's1 seat · turnout 30.9%
| N. Smith | Labour | 1,271 ✓ |
| C. Malyon | Conservative | 777 |
| S. Gibeon | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 483 |
Thorpe1 seat
| N. Moss | Conservative | 1,954 |
| V. Cooper | Lib/Sdp | 747 |
| T. Sandall | Labour | 515 |
Westborough1 seat
| J. Palmer | Lib/Sdp | 1,749 |
| J. Rowswell | Conservative | 899 |
| A. Smith | Labour | 608 |
