Before (end of 1987) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 37 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 3 · Conservative 2 · Other 0
After (end of 1988) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 35 · Conservative 4 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Brays Grove1 seat · turnout 33.7%
| D. Burnham | Labour | 835 |
| D. Messer | Conservative | 254 |
Great Parndon1 seat · turnout 51.0%
| L. Atkins | Conservative | 820 ✓ |
| J. Sanders | Labour | 705 |
| D. Harris | SLD | 106 |
| Simon Ford | Independent | 58 |
Hare Street & Town Centre1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| J. Hobbs | Labour | 758 |
| D. Groves | Conservative | 250 |
Kingsmoor1 seat · turnout 38.3%
| S. Rigden | Conservative | 841 |
| J. Young | Labour | 820 |
| D. Collins | SLD | 168 |
Latton Bush1 seat · turnout 36.7%
| A. Jones | Labour | 1,052 |
| S. Cross | Conservative | 461 |
Little Parndon1 seat · turnout 36.1%
| D. Condon | Labour | 975 |
| K. Smart | Conservative | 355 |
| L. Spenceley | SLD | 171 |
Mark Hall South1 seat · turnout 38.8%
| T. Farr | Labour | 1,061 |
| N. Hitch | Conservative | 333 |
| N. Armitage | SLD | 129 |
Netteswell East1 seat · turnout 38.5%
| P. Balbi | Labour | 727 |
| M. Rigden | Conservative | 260 |
| V. Scott | SLD | 128 |
Netteswell West1 seat · turnout 37.7%
| M. Coleman | Labour | 618 |
| S. Jones | Conservative | 215 |
| S. Herbert | SLD | 123 |
Old Harlow1 seat · turnout 55.6%
| R. Howitt | Labour | 1,243 |
| S. Carter | Conservative | 1,151 |
| P. Barton | SLD | 156 |
Potter Street1 seat · turnout 43.1%
| R. Brown | Labour | 970 |
| D. Fleming | Conservative | 244 |
| S. Ward | SLD | 142 |
Stewards1 seat · turnout 37.6%
| S. Curran | SLD | 750 |
| C. Downing | Labour | 560 |
| K. Jones | Conservative | 168 |