Before (end of 1987) (36 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 25 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 10 · Other 1 · Labour 0
After (end of 1988) (36 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 26 · Liberal Democrats 8 · Other 2 · Labour 0
Ward results
Blatchcombe1 seat · turnout 37.1%
| D. Lentell | SLD | 1,163 ✓ |
| S. Buckland | Conservative | 900 |
| D. Cowell | Labour | 734 |
Cockington-With-Chelston1 seat · turnout 40.7%
| E. Armes | Conservative | 1,594 ✓ |
| J. Critchlow | Labour | 1,202 |
| J. Spencer | SLD | 295 |
Coverdale1 seat · turnout 33.8%
| T. Ballinger | Conservative | 1,036 ✓ |
| R. James | SLD | 733 |
| E. Harris | Labour | 597 |
| J. O'Brien | RATE | 418 |
Ellacombe1 seat · turnout 32.5%
| L. Pope | Conservative | 1,042 ✓ |
| J. Dunn | SLD | 938 |
| R. Middleditch | Labour | 503 |
Furzeham-With-Churston1 seat · turnout 38.7%
| R. Pudner | Conservative | 1,615 ✓ |
| A. Colborne | SLD | 820 |
| W. Loader | Labour | 395 |
Preston1 seat · turnout 33.3%
| A. Bulley | Conservative | 1,542 ✓ |
| J. West | SLD | 742 |
| T. Bickford | Labour | 450 |
Shiphay1 seat · turnout 36.2%
| W. Dolman | SDP | 1,281 ✓ |
| L. Neville | Conservative | 755 |
| R. Emdon | SLD | 408 |
| J. Haines | Labour | 326 |
St. Marychurch1 seat · turnout 40.0%
| F. Stone | SLD | 1,743 ✓ |
| J. Pedley | Conservative | 1,500 |
St. Michael-With-Goodrington1 seat · turnout 41.3%
| G. Johnson | Conservative | 1,730 ✓ |
| W. Downey | RATE | 886 |
| B. Postle | SLD | 731 |
| A. McCracken | Labour | 331 |
St. Peters-With-St. Marys1 seat · turnout 33.0%
| R. Walkley | Conservative | 1,170 ✓ |
| P. Brown | SLD | 737 |
| M. Morey | Labour | 527 |
| G. Lowcock | Green | 118 |
Tormohun1 seat · turnout 25.1%
| G. Jennings | SLD | 1,017 ✓ |
| E. Trayler | Conservative | 837 |
Torwood1 seat · turnout 28.6%
| D. Tanner | Conservative | 1,568 ✓ |
| H. Holland | Green | 443 |