Before (end of 1987) (22 seats, Elections Centre)
Other 8 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Conservative 7 · Labour 0
After (end of 1988) (22 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 10 · Other 7 · Liberal Democrats 5 · Labour 0
Ward results
Castle1 seat · turnout 45.1%
| L. Hayward | Conservative | 517 |
| H. Carter | SLD | 483 |
| M. Dixon | Labour | 122 |
Lytchett Minster1 seat · turnout 36.5%
| A. Chattaway | Conservative | 883 |
| M. Wise | SLD | 806 |
| R. Phelps | Labour | 391 |
St Martin1 seat · turnout 51.4%
| E. Aitken | SLD | 494 |
| M. Morrissey | Conservative | 356 |
| K. Dadds | Labour | 122 |
Swanage North1 seat · turnout 45.8%
| G. Marsh | Conservative | 879 |
| J. Davis | SLD | 584 |
Swanage South1 seat · turnout 38.9%
| J. Wheeldon | Conservative | 926 |
| J. Waris | RES | 439 |
| R. Woodley | Labour | 359 |
Wareham1 seat · turnout 51.7%
| S. Butler | SLD | 1,203 |
| C. Patterson | Conservative | 1,000 |
| D. McNairn | Labour | 269 |
Wool1 seat · turnout 49.1%
| N. Langford | Conservative | 679 |
| S Shinn | Labour | 559 |
| J. Briggs | SLD | 325 |