Before (end of 1986) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 20 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 15 · Labour 4 · Other 0
After (end of 1987) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 19 · Conservative 15 · Labour 5 · Other 0
Ward results
Blenheim1 seat
| J. Cronkshaw | Lib/Sdp | 2,113 |
| T. Birdseye | Conservative | 2,021 |
| N. Boorman | Labour | 455 |
Eastwood1 seat
| G. Longley | Lib/Sdp | 2,582 ✓ |
| C. Terson | Conservative | 2,154 |
| W. McIntyre | Labour | 321 |
| M. Penning | Ind LIB | 64 |
Leigh1 seat
| A. Crystall | Lib/Sdp | 2,453 |
| J. Gibbs | Conservative | 2,085 |
| K. Lee | Labour | 366 |
Milton1 seat
| J. Carlile | Conservative | 1,628 ✓ |
| A. Pearson-Clarke | Lib/Sdp | 1,245 |
| D. Garne | Labour | 496 |
Prittlewell1 seat
| J. Armitage | Lib/Sdp | 2,558 |
| S. Houghton | Conservative | 1,622 |
| L. Davidson | Labour | 409 |
Shoebury1 seat
| A. Cole | Conservative | 2,772 |
| J. Lowe | Lib/Sdp | 1,610 |
| M. Howells | Labour | 915 |
Southchurch1 seat
| D. Garston | Conservative | 2,172 |
| R. Hendry | Lib/Sdp | 1,844 |
| D. Galvin | Labour | 543 |
St. Luke's1 seat
| H. Gibeon | Lib/Sdp | 1,322 |
| C. Hudson | Conservative | 1,167 |
| D. Waring | Labour | 948 |
Thorpe1 seat
| R. Bosch | Conservative | 2,710 |
| C. Sweet | Lib/Sdp | 1,127 |
| T. Sandall | Labour | 527 |
Westborough1 seat
| G. Cossey | Lib/Sdp | 2,124 |
| G. Littler | Conservative | 1,593 |
| A. Smith | Labour | 526 |
