Before (end of 1986) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 26 · Conservative 15 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 4 · Other 0
After (end of 1987) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 21 · Conservative 19 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 4 · Other 1
Ward results
Bassett1 seat
| T. Crompton | Conservative | 2,847 |
| P. Evemy | Labour | 1,220 |
| R. Gundy | Lib/Sdp | 1,210 |
Bitterne1 seat
| W. Nevill | Conservative | 1,758 ✓ |
| Truscott | Labour | 1,724 |
| W. Furness | Lib/Sdp | 913 |
| S. Organ | Green | 72 |
Bitterne Park1 seat
| C. Barber | Conservative | 2,292 |
| A. Smith | Lib/Sdp | 2,147 |
| E. Andrews | Labour | 1,420 |
Freemantle1 seat
| L. Lush | Conservative | 1,965 |
| V. Lambert | Labour | 1,516 |
| D. Allen | Lib/Sdp | 961 |
Harefield1 seat
| J. Martin | Conservative | 2,654 |
| M. Gibbons | Labour | 2,002 |
| D. Brandwood | Lib/Sdp | 990 |
Millbrook2 seats
| D. Abraham | Conservative | 1,972 ✓ |
| P. Fish | Conservative | 1,865 ✓ |
| U. Roberts | Lib/Sdp | 1,819 |
| A. Hayes | Lib/Sdp | 1,755 |
| C. Hopkinson | Labour | 1,628 |
| S. Wallace | Labour | 1,625 |
Peartree1 seat
| J. Baker | Conservative | 2,039 |
| P. Jenks | Labour | 1,992 |
| I. O'Neill | Lib/Sdp | 1,105 |
Portswood1 seat
| M. Singerman | Lib/Sdp | 2,189 ✓ |
| J. Noble | Conservative | 1,490 |
| R. Leighton | Labour | 1,184 |
| D. Langstaff | Green | 163 |
Redbridge1 seat
| P. Russell | Labour | 2,192 |
| R. Palmer | Conservative | 1,403 |
| J. Denyer | Lib/Sdp | 857 |
Shirley1 seat
| T. Janman | Conservative | 2,628 ✓ |
| V. Baston | Lib/Sdp | 1,173 |
| A. Thomson | Labour | 1,097 |
| A. Tappin | Green | 134 |
Sholing1 seat
| D. Brown | Conservative | 2,227 |
| T. Neatherway | Labour | 1,833 |
| F. Taylor | Lib/Sdp | 1,115 |
St. Lukes1 seat
| V. Mackenzie | Labour | 1,777 ✓ |
| R. Egleton | Conservative | 1,579 |
| C. Massey | Lib/Sdp | 653 |
| M. Garner | Green | 254 |