Before (end of 1987) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 32 · Conservative 11 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 2
After (end of 1988) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 34 · Conservative 10 · Liberal Democrats 2 · Other 1
Ward results
Brinkburn1 seat · turnout 30.6%
| C. Llewellyn | Labour | 580 |
| H. Johnson | SDP | 471 |
| J. Pickstock | Conservative | 225 |
Brus1 seat · turnout 27.3%
| W. Emerson | Labour | 936 |
| S. Angus | Conservative | 158 |
| E. Freeman | SDP | 115 |
Dyke House1 seat · turnout 22.6%
| S. Hanson | Labour | 819 |
| S. Robertson | Conservative | 214 |
| W. Doxford | SLD | 131 |
Fens1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| A. Preece | SLD | 1,150 |
| M. Hogarth | Labour | 652 |
Grange1 seat · turnout 35.1%
| D. Williams | Conservative | 1,094 |
| J. Norman | Labour | 398 |
| P. Allen | SLD | 205 |
Greatham1 seat · turnout 36.2%
| D. Brotherton | Independent | 264 |
| F. Douglas | SLD | 252 |
| A. Groom | Labour | 142 |
Hart1 seat · turnout 30.6%
| J. Stanton | Labour | 658 |
| A. Bower | SDP | 263 |
Rift House1 seat · turnout 29.9%
| F. Rogers | Conservative | 818 |
| E. Butterfield | Labour | 519 |
Rossmere1 seat · turnout 29.7%
| S. Bramley | Labour | 883 |
| C. Surtees-Chambers | Conservative | 198 |
| R. Flintoff | SLD | 173 |
St. Hilda1 seat · turnout 28.4%
| C. Stubbs | Labour | 1,021 |
| F. Birch | Conservative | 325 |
| R. Anderson | SDP | 151 |
Stranton1 seat · turnout 43.6%
| R. Barnfather | Labour | 795 |
| B. Stonehouse | SLD | 736 |
| T. Angus | Conservative | 96 |
Throston1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| B. Smith | Labour | 908 |
| A. Burke | Conservative | 629 |
| W. Kitching | SDP | 116 |
