Before (end of 1995) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 17 · Conservative 13 · Labour 9 · Other 0
After (end of 1996) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 18 · Labour 12 · Conservative 9 · Other 0
Ward results
Belfairs1 seat · turnout 44.9%
| O. Shapiro | Liberal Democrats | 1,773 |
| H. Briggs | Conservative | 1,773 |
| J Grindley | Labour | 542 |
Blenheim1 seat · turnout 41.5%
| B. Smith | Liberal Democrats | 1,586 |
| T. Merrison | Labour | 1,142 |
| T. Ager | Conservative | 1,137 |
Chalkwell1 seat · turnout 33.7%
| H. Lister-Smith | Liberal Democrats | 1,444 |
| J. Tobin | Conservative | 1,416 |
| M Humphrey | Labour | 425 |
Eastwood1 seat · turnout 34.7%
| R. Fisher | Liberal Democrats | 1,556 |
| R. Weaver | Conservative | 1,350 |
| M Flewitt | Labour | 823 |
Leigh1 seat
| A. Smulian | Liberal Democrats | 1,574 ✓ |
| J Rowsell | Conservative | 934 |
| P Circus | Labour | 779 |
Milton1 seat · turnout 25.5%
| L. Felton | Labour | 1,271 |
| R. Davy | Conservative | 798 |
| W. Petchey | Liberal Democrats | 256 |
Prittlewell1 seat · turnout 31.5%
| W. Elf | Liberal Democrats | 1,626 |
| B Houssart | Conservative | 744 |
| Z Chaudhri | Labour | 533 |
Shoebury1 seat · turnout 26.7%
| L. Wisken | Labour | 2,046 |
| A. North | Conservative | 1,594 |
| S Newton | Liberal Democrats | 403 |
Southchurch1 seat · turnout 31.1%
| Ann Holland | Conservative | 1,418 |
| D Garne | Labour | 1,080 |
| P. Craddock | Liberal Democrats | 331 |
St. Luke's2 seats
| R. Copley | Labour | 1,542 ✓ |
| J. Mapp | Labour | 1,323 ✓ |
| C Langlands | Conservative | 503 |
| D. Ayre | Conservative | 481 |
| R Alexander | Liberal Democrats | 268 |
| J. Kaufman | Liberal Democrats | 233 |
Victoria1 seat
| R. Crisp | Labour | 1,788 ✓ |
| Michael Longden | Conservative | 482 |
| T Ray | Liberal Democrats | 261 |
Westborough1 seat · turnout 29.7%
| H Gibeon | Liberal Democrats | 1,342 |
| M Royston | Labour | 865 |
| R. Brown | Conservative | 387 |