Before (end of 1986) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 34 · Conservative 10 · Other 2 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1
After (end of 1987) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 32 · Conservative 11 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 2
Ward results
Brinkburn1 seat · turnout 37.3%
| V. Burton | Labour | 637 |
| H. Johnson | Lib/Sdp | 557 |
| J. Pickstock | Conservative | 374 |
Brus1 seat · turnout 31.8%
| G. Ellett | Labour | 883 |
| R. Northey | Lib/Sdp | 331 |
| S. Angus | Conservative | 216 |
Dyke House1 seat · turnout 29.0%
| B. Hanson | Labour | 863 |
| J. Scales | Lib/Sdp | 367 |
| F. Birch | Conservative | 287 |
Elwick1 seat · turnout 56.0%
| S. Kaiser | Conservative | 474 |
| K. Macfadyen | Lib/Sdp | 175 |
| L. Coverdale | Labour | 88 |
Fens1 seat · turnout 37.0%
| M. Stonehouse | Labour | 1,012 |
| P. Flint | Conservative | 590 |
| F. Douglas | Lib/Sdp | 346 |
Grange1 seat · turnout 43.6%
| M. Rogers | Conservative | 1,158 |
| D. Richardson | Labour | 537 |
| A. Hudson | Lib/Sdp | 422 |
Owton1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| W. Horseman | Labour | 891 |
| R. Flintoff | Lib/Sdp | 352 |
| C. Surtees-Chambers | Conservative | 118 |
Park1 seat · turnout 51.6%
| G. Worthy | Labour | 1,096 |
| G. Kneeshaw | Conservative | 1,005 |
| G. Shotton | Lib/Sdp | 455 |
Rift House1 seat · turnout 40.6%
| D. Ferriday | Conservative | 897 |
| M. Hogarth | Labour | 579 |
| A. Bower | Lib/Sdp | 344 |
Seaton1 seat · turnout 40.2%
| J. Elders | Conservative | 809 |
| S. Bell | Labour | 454 |
| R. Tweddle | Lib/Sdp | 290 |
St. Hilda1 seat · turnout 31.6%
| D. Bentley | Labour | 939 |
| S. Bowman | Conservative | 412 |
| R. Anderson | Lib/Sdp | 319 |
Stranton1 seat · turnout 42.6%
| J. Stonehouse | Lib/Sdp | 732 |
| R. Barnfather | Labour | 708 |
| T. Angus | Conservative | 161 |
Throston1 seat · turnout 37.8%
| J. Lynch | Labour | 697 |
| A. Burke | Conservative | 641 |
| K. Anderson | Lib/Sdp | 403 |
