Before (end of 1995) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 14 · Labour 12 · Conservative 5 · Other 1
After (end of 1996) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 17 · Labour 15 · Conservative 0 · Other 0
Ward results
Broomgrove1 seat · turnout 29.4%
| S Manwaring | Labour | 646 ✓ |
| H. Thrower | Liberal Democrats | 211 |
| T Charlesworth | Conservative | 90 |
Castle1 seat · turnout 36.9%
| E Ballard | Liberal Democrats | 523 ✓ |
| T Randell | Labour | 318 |
| F. Evans | Conservative | 105 |
Central St Leonards1 seat
| A. Roberts | Labour | 419 ✓ |
| J. Amstad | LIB | 298 |
| D Wise | Liberal Democrats | 291 |
| M. Charlesworth | Conservative | 267 |
Central St. Leonards1 seat
| A. Roberts | Labour | 419 |
| J. Amstad | LIB | 298 |
| D. Wise | Liberal Democrats | 291 |
Elphinstone1 seat
| K Bing | Liberal Democrats | 716 ✓ |
| P Silverson | Labour | 461 |
| D McConnell | Conservative | 326 |
| E Pasco | UK Ind | 54 |
Gensing1 seat · turnout 33.7%
| R Mandry | Liberal Democrats | 526 ✓ |
| D Kent | Labour | 417 |
| G. Martin | Conservative | 255 |
| J Pankhurst | UK Ind | 51 |
Hollington1 seat · turnout 27.4%
| J. Dowling | Labour | 881 ✓ |
| M. Forster | Liberal Democrats | 168 |
| C. Jones | Conservative | 120 |
Old Hastings1 seat · turnout 48.9%
| J Bourdon-Pierre | Liberal Democrats | 751 ✓ |
| I Castro | Labour | 526 |
| A Thomson | Conservative | 127 |
| A. Burgess | UK Ind | 105 |
St. Helens1 seat
| G. White | Liberal Democrats | 810 ✓ |
| P. Finch | Conservative | 377 |
| Waller D. | Labour | 366 |
West St Leonards1 seat
| B McLean | Liberal Democrats | 614 ✓ |
| M Cornes | Conservative | 587 |
| T Soan | Labour | 539 |
West St. Leonards1 seat
| B. McLean | Liberal Democrats | 614 |
| T. Soan | Labour | 539 |
Wishing Tree1 seat · turnout 30.1%
| P. Scott | Labour | 946 ✓ |
| D Maloney | Liberal Democrats | 186 |
| M. Beaver | Conservative | 158 |
