Before (end of 1987) (40 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 23 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 10 · Labour 6 · Other 1
After (end of 1988) (40 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 22 · Liberal Democrats 13 · Labour 4 · Other 1
Ward results
Downhall1 seat · turnout 43.8%
| C. Black | SLD | 872 |
| S. Fletcher | Conservative | 245 |
| J Foley | Labour | 66 |
Grange & Rawreth1 seat · turnout 43.6%
| P. Beckers | SLD | 933 |
| B. Spencer | Conservative | 671 |
| S Andre | Labour | 350 |
Hawkwell East1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| J. Roden | Conservative | 1,026 |
| H. Glynn | SLD | 592 |
| R. Cairey | Labour | 275 |
Hawkwell West1 seat · turnout 35.6%
| T. Fawell | Conservative | 672 |
| V. Arnold | Labour | 242 |
| B. Cummings | SLD | 205 |
Hockley Central1 seat · turnout 44.1%
| E. Hart | Conservative | 420 |
| S. Giles | SLD | 373 |
Hockley East1 seat · turnout 38.0%
| I. Godfrey | Conservative | 762 |
| W. Alabaster | SLD | 245 |
| Jean Ross Christie | Labour | 234 |
Hockley West1 seat · turnout 37.2%
| E. Marlow | Conservative | 535 |
| M. Nudd | SLD | 189 |
| E. Gay | Labour | 92 |
Hullbridge Riverside1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| G. Hooper | Conservative | 554 |
| Clive Morgan | Labour | 515 |
Hullbridge South1 seat · turnout 38.6%
| L. Walker | Conservative | 505 |
| M. Stevenson | Labour | 414 |
Lodge1 seat · turnout 42.9%
| S. Jarvis | SLD | 1,139 |
| J. Parriers-Taylor | Conservative | 769 |
| J. Stracey | Labour | 129 |
Rayleigh Central1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| N. Harris | SLD | 407 |
| D Geach | Conservative | 351 |
| J. Bolton | Independent | 250 |
Rochford St. Andrews1 seat · turnout 46.4%
| R. Amner | Conservative | 487 |
| Myra Anne Weir | Labour | 381 |
| P. Wells | SLD | 246 |
