Before (end of 1987) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 14 · Conservative 11 · Labour 7 · Other 0
After (end of 1988) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 12 · Conservative 12 · Labour 8 · Other 0
Ward results
Broomgrove1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| G. Barnes | Labour | 748 ✓ |
| M. Thrower | SLD | 371 |
| J Marshall | Conservative | 243 |
| P. Clarke | Green | 25 |
Castle1 seat · turnout 35.4%
| R. Singleton | SLD | 497 |
| S. Murphy | Conservative | 382 |
| Kempa R. | Labour | 212 |
Central St. Leonards1 seat · turnout 36.3%
| P. Michael-Anthony | Conservative | 582 ✓ |
| N. Redfearn | SLD | 521 |
| D. Cooper | Labour | 224 |
| P. Buswell | Green | 73 |
Elphinstone1 seat · turnout 42.2%
| S. Barr | Conservative | 803 ✓ |
| D. Fisher | SLD | 509 |
| S. White | Labour | 313 |
| L. Homewood | Green | 56 |
Gensing1 seat · turnout 37.7%
| R. Silsby | Conservative | 665 ✓ |
| J. Amstad | SLD | 593 |
| C. Sanders | Labour | 177 |
| E. Sloan | Green | 84 |
Hollington1 seat · turnout 38.8%
| J. Leskiw | Labour | 778 ✓ |
| J. Mitchell | SLD | 336 |
| R. Cooke | Conservative | 307 |
| P. Lambert | Green | 60 |
Old Hastings1 seat · turnout 47.3%
| A. Burgess | Conservative | 551 ✓ |
| M. Ridgers | SLD | 491 |
| M. Denning | Labour | 357 |
| K. Leech | Green | 124 |
| D. Tiverton | Independent | 88 |
Ore1 seat · turnout 38.2%
| C. Beaumont | Labour | 601 ✓ |
| R. Moore | SLD | 480 |
| R. Morris | Conservative | 379 |
| Clarke J. | Green | 90 |
St. Helens1 seat · turnout 47.9%
| M. Rix | SLD | 975 |
| D. Thornton | Conservative | 810 |
| C. Randell | Labour | 179 |
West St. Leonards1 seat · turnout 37.8%
| D. Thornton | Conservative | 819 ✓ |
| D. Simpson | SLD | 605 |
| J. Wallis | Labour | 191 |
| N. Rowland | Green | 88 |
Wishing Tree1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| N. Hitchins | Labour | 688 ✓ |
| L. Russell | Conservative | 664 |
| S. Coates | SLD | 333 |
| R. Sloan | Green | 82 |