Before (end of 1987) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 26 · Conservative 12 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Other 0
After (end of 1988) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 29 · Conservative 10 · Liberal Democrats 6 · Other 0
Ward results
Acomb1 seat · turnout 48.0%
| B Carradice | Labour | 1,541 |
| R. Fischer | Conservative | 848 |
| A. Downs | SLD | 251 |
Beckfield1 seat · turnout 54.6%
| R. Pulleyn | Labour | 1,368 |
| J. Lynch | Conservative | 1,353 |
| C. Horwell | SLD | 164 |
Bishophill1 seat · turnout 52.1%
| R. Van Gogh | Labour | 1,187 ✓ |
| W. Burn | Conservative | 960 |
| J. McCallum | Green | 149 |
| G. Robinson | SLD | 130 |
| C. Cooke | Independent | 13 |
Bootham1 seat · turnout 40.9%
| R. Hills | Labour | 1,385 |
| J. Wheatley | Conservative | 550 |
| J. Dales | SLD | 133 |
Clifton1 seat · turnout 50.7%
| S. Whitehead | Labour | 1,503 |
| S. Barton | Conservative | 1,031 |
| P. Begbie | SLD | 138 |
Fishergate1 seat · turnout 53.4%
| J Boardman | Labour | 1,465 |
| J. Long | Conservative | 1,246 |
| V. Campbell | SLD | 212 |
Foxwood1 seat · turnout 41.8%
| G. Horwell | SLD | 1,653 ✓ |
| I. Farndale | Conservative | 628 |
| B. Kirk | Labour | 493 |
| J. Forrester | Green | 143 |
Holgate1 seat · turnout 51.1%
| J. Southby | Labour | 1,519 |
| R. Dickson | Conservative | 1,014 |
| J. Nicholson | SLD | 192 |
Knavesmire1 seat · turnout 56.3%
| R Fletcher | Labour | 1,502 ✓ |
| L. Hargrave | Conservative | 1,174 |
| A. Layram | Green | 119 |
| J. Abel | SLD | 81 |
Micklegate1 seat · turnout 51.3%
| A. Milling | Conservative | 1,466 ✓ |
| K. Allott | Labour | 901 |
| P. Doig | SLD | 215 |
| R Bell | Green | 146 |
Monk1 seat · turnout 50.7%
| M. Heppell | Conservative | 1,307 |
| A. Cormack | SLD | 700 |
| Kirk D. | Labour | 685 |
Walmgate1 seat · turnout 45.1%
| Brownhill C. | Labour | 1,229 |
| D Thornton | Conservative | 971 |
| J. Salmon | SLD | 196 |
Westfield1 seat · turnout 49.5%
| R. Penston | Labour | 1,078 |
| P. Ward | SLD | 953 |
| L Daley | Conservative | 391 |