Before (end of 1987) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 25 · Conservative 20 · Labour 8 · Other 2
After (end of 1988) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 23 · Conservative 22 · Labour 8 · Other 2
Ward results
Allington1 seat
| M. Black | SLD | 1,130 |
| K. Woollven | Conservative | 1,007 |
| I. Dunn | Labour | 118 |
Bearsted2 seats
| M. Tweed | Conservative | 1,265 ✓ |
| J. Woods | Conservative | 1,174 ✓ |
| P. Marshall | Independent | 549 |
| L. Jeffreys | SLD | 351 |
| J. Young | Labour | 235 |
| M. Reeve | SLD | 230 |
| M. James | Labour | 217 |
Boughton Monchelsea1 seat
| I. Ellis | SLD | 723 |
| R. Hitch | Conservative | 425 |
| A. Gould | Labour | 39 |
Coxheath1 seat
| D. Carter | SLD | 615 |
| A. Gunstone | Conservative | 581 |
| T. Craddock | Labour | 217 |
East1 seat
| I. Gascoine | SLD | 1,244 |
| R. Usher | Conservative | 1,110 |
| R. Card | Labour | 252 |
Headcorn1 seat
| C. Titchener | Conservative | 786 ✓ |
| J. Webster | SLD | 287 |
| E. Hennessey | Labour | 164 |
| P. Kemp | Green | 107 |
High Street1 seat
| P. Yates | SLD | 793 |
| K. Perriman | Conservative | 716 |
| M. White | Labour | 434 |
Marden1 seat
| J. Banks | Independent | 700 |
| G. Powney | SLD | 218 |
| D. Warmington | Labour | 142 |
NORTH2 seats
| K. Adkinson | SLD | 1,108 |
| M. Walter | SLD | 994 |
| D. Sayer | Conservative | 752 |
| G. Golborn | Conservative | 740 |
| P. Sayer | Labour | 272 |
| V. Thomas | Labour | 251 |
Park Wood1 seat
| J. Morrison | Labour | 1,042 |
| D. Hook | Conservative | 350 |
| D. Winckless | SLD | 201 |
Shepway East1 seat
| J. Hazelgrove | Labour | 966 |
| R. Witt | Conservative | 491 |
| J. Williams | SLD | 381 |
Shepway West2 seats
| S. Murphy | Labour | 951 |
| M. Watts | Labour | 946 |
| A. Cox | Conservative | 542 |
| B. Quick | Conservative | 524 |
| K. Walker | SLD | 172 |
South1 seat
| B. Beardwell | Conservative | 973 |
| G. English | SLD | 773 |
| A. Keane | Labour | 291 |