# 1986 Southwark London Borough Council election

Elections to Southwark Council were held in May 1986. The whole council was up for election. Turnout was 36.7%.

## Election result

Southwark Local Election Result 1986 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 43 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 67.2 | 50.68 | 32,906 | 7.93 |
| Alliance | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 23.4 | 28.8 | 18,696 | 4.46 |
| Conservative | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9.4 | 18.06 | 11,726 | 9.89 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 2.06 | 1,336 | New |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.18 | 116 | 0.57 |
| National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.12 | 77 | 0.32 |
| Revolutionary Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.11 | 70 | New |
| Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.93 |

## Ward results
### Abbey

Abbey (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (SDP) | James Hughes | 1,018 | 53.4 | +29.9 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Carlisle | 799 | 41.9 | −9.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Phoebe Whiffing | 744 | 39.1 | +14.7 |
| | Labour | Chetan Patel | 706 | 37.1 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,905 | 39.7 | +9.3 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Alleyn

Alleyn (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Bogle | 1,188 | 43.6 | +7.9 |
| | Labour | Margaret Pedler | 1,133 | 41.6 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Pamela Cooper* | 781 | 28.7 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative | Maureen Tomison | 718 | 26.4 | −7.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Jean Halden | 521 | 19.1 | −3.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | James Morrey | 496 | 18.2 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,722 | 46.8 | +7.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Barset

Barset (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Snow* | 1,184 | 58.4 | +10.8 |
| | Labour | Dorothy Winters | 1,070 | 52.8 | +4.5 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Roy Nightingale | 537 | 26.5 | −4.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | David Banks | 534 | 26.3 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Ellams | 210 | 10.4 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Archibald Norman | 202 | 10.0 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,027 | 41.5 | +5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bellenden

Bellenden (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graeme Geddes** | 1,953 | 54.1 | +13.7 |
| | Labour | John McTernan | 1,942 | 53.8 | +15.0 |
| | Labour | Jessica Wanamaker** | 1,849 | 51.2 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | Alfred Shaughnessy | 821 | 22.7 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | Pamela Entwhistle | 809 | 22.4 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | David Bradbury | 797 | 22.1 | −8.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Paul Eden | 545 | 15.1 | −3.8 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Kathryn Kyle | 513 | 14.2 | −3.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Leaford Patrick | 451 | 12.5 | −4.7 |
| | Green | David Brunsdon | 231 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,610 | 40.8 | +2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Graeme Geddes was a sitting councillor for Browning ward
Jessica Wanamaker was a sitting councillor for Chaucer ward

### Bricklayers

Bricklayers (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Andrew Canning | 1,576 | 53.0 | +21.3 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Helen Kemp | 1,521 | 51.2 | +21.6 |
| | Labour | John Bryan* | 1,199 | 40.3 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Robert Law | 1,136 | 38.2 | ±0.0 |
| | Communist | Peter Power | 33 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,973 | 50.1 | +16.1 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Browning

Browning (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Fryer* | 1,446 | 45.7 | −6.1 |
| | Labour | Ann Goss** | 1,373 | 43.4 | −9.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Peter Pritchard | 1,373 | 43.4 | +24.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Joyce Hales | 1,361 | 43.0 | +25.1 |
| | Labour | Laurence Hemming | 1,354 | 42.8 | −8.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Mary Wenner | 1,228 | 38.8 | +21.9 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Trott | 212 | 6.7 | −13.1 |
| | Conservative | Terence Driscoll | 204 | 6.4 | −13.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,163 | 42.9 | +13.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Ann Goss was a sitting councillor for The Lane ward

### Brunswick

Brunswick (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jessie Cannon* | 1,556 | 57.4 | +14.8 |
| | Labour | John Maurice | 1,543 | 57.0 | +20.3 |
| | Labour | John Lauder* | 1,522 | 56.2 | +10.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Richard Cotton | 671 | 24.8 | +0.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Simon Gamble | 651 | 24.0 | +1.1 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Warren Ingham-Barrow | 617 | 22.8 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | John McMahon | 337 | 12.4 | −8.1 |
| | Conservative | Carolyn Freeman | 316 | 11.7 | −7.4 |
| | Conservative | Douglas Mitchell | 304 | 11.2 | −8.9 |
| | Communist | Eric Hodson | 83 | 3.1 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,709 | 35.6 | +8.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Burgess

Burgess (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Rose Colley* | 943 | 51.8 | +32.6 |
| | Labour | Piers Corbyn | 835 | 45.8 | −4.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Anne Scovell | 816 | 44.8 | +27.0 |
| | Labour | Reginald Gyasi | 736 | 40.4 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,822 | 41.8 | +15.2 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Cathedral

Cathedral (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Hilary Wines | 905 | 41.4 | +21.0 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Williams* | 899 | 41.1 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Alan Davis* | 883 | 40.4 | −6.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Leroy Arscott | 850 | 38.9 | +19.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Skelton | 231 | 10.6 | −15.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,185 | 39.7 | +11.2 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chaucer

Chaucer (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anne Matthews* | 1,478 | 47.8 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Rita Sergeant | 1,431 | 46.3 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Linda Oram | 1,400 | 45.3 | +6.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Richard Malins | 1,328 | 43.0 | +14.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Anna McGettigan | 1,274 | 41.2 | +13.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Loraine Watson | 1,228 | 39.7 | +13.5 |
| | Conservative | Beatrice North | 195 | 6.3 | −10.3 |
| | Conservative | Caroline Sayer | 177 | 5.7 | −11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,090 | 37.2 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### College

College (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eileen Doran | 1,486 | 47.6 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Percy Gray | 1,410 | 45.2 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Bowyer | 909 | 29.1 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | Iris Ritchie | 871 | 27.9 | +7.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Patricia Mynott | 597 | 19.1 | −1.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Olga Kenyon | 583 | 18.7 | −2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,120 | 51.4 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Consort

Consort (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Brennan | 1,077 | 64.3 | +9.4 |
| | Labour | Sally Keeble | 1,019 | 60.8 | +6.5 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Mark Allen | 293 | 17.5 | +0.6 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Martin Horwood | 277 | 16.5 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Leslie Brown | 229 | 13.7 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Christine Alderton | 192 | 11.5 | −6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,676 | 33.2 | +2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dockyard

Dockyard (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Ronald Kendrick | 1,236 | 45.9 | +25.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Patricia Matheson | 1,226 | 45.5 | +27.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | George Walker | 1,195 | 44.3 | +26.9 |
| | Labour | Thomas Sullivan* | 1,178 | 43.7 | −12.3 |
| | Labour | John Burke | 1,119 | 41.5 | −18.3 |
| | Labour | Rupert Doyle** | 1,095 | 40.6 | −12.6 |
| | Conservative | Mary Corps | 173 | 6.4 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Alan Corps | 169 | 6.3 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,695 | 41.3 | +7.9 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Rupert Doyle was a sitting councillor for Friary ward

### Faraday

Faraday (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maurice Elley | 1,939 | 64.9 | +11.2 |
| | Labour | Patrick Morgan | 1,928 | 64.5 | +17.0 |
| | Labour | David Payne* | 1,897 | 63.5 | +13.7 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Peter Duff | 440 | 14.7 | −8.0 |
| | Conservative | Gladys Cobley | 414 | 13.9 | −6.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Veronica Hunt | 414 | 13.9 | N/A |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Jonathan Hunt | 413 | 13.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Peter Grady | 398 | 13.3 | −10.8 |
| | Conservative | Harold Welch | 371 | 12.4 | −4.9 |
| | Green | Sylvia Brasier | 149 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,988 | 31.6 | +9.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Friary

Friary (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Main* | 1,453 | 70.3 | +21.8 |
| | Labour | Marjorie Henriquez | 1,444 | 69.9 | +18.6 |
| | Labour | Tony Goss** | 1,423 | 68.8 | +22.4 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Mead | 285 | 13.8 | −6.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Paul Cheesman | 267 | 12.9 | −7.8 |
| | Conservative | Joe Mortimer | 261 | 12.6 | −5.2 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Roy Ashworth | 253 | 12.2 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative | Robert Myers | 238 | 11.5 | −5.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Frances Sheehan | 235 | 11.4 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,067 | 32.9 | +4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tony Goss was a sitting councillor for Newington ward

### Liddle

Liddle (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mary Ellery* | 1,603 | 79.3 | +20.9 |
| | Labour | Daniel McCarthy* | 1,476 | 73.0 | +14.4 |
| | Labour | Ali Balli | 1,405 | 69.5 | +18.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Irene Barton | 206 | 10.2 | −5.6 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Peter Ward | 187 | 9.2 | −4.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Iain Johncock | 153 | 7.6 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Norman Bascombe | 149 | 7.4 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative | Victoria Holliday | 132 | 6.5 | −5.6 |
| | Conservative | Mary Welch | 108 | 5.3 | −6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,022 | 24.6 | +4.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Lyndhurst

Lyndhurst (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Crane* | 2,164 | 52.3 | +14.3 |
| | Labour | Andrew Troke* | 2,145 | 51.8 | +18.1 |
| | Labour | Aubyn Graham* | 2,116 | 51.1 | +15.6 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Betts | 1,218 | 29.4 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Tobias Eckersley** | 1,193 | 28.8 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | Doris Pearce | 1,167 | 28.2 | −2.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Rowland Sheard | 531 | 12.8 | −11.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Margaret Hanton | 526 | 12.7 | −9.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Joan Wheeler | 497 | 12.0 | −9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,139 | 45.0 | +5.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tobias Eckersley was a sitting councillor for Ruskin ward

### Newington

Newington (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roy Kennedy | 1,960 | 60.1 | +15.6 |
| | Labour | Mark Howarth | 1,946 | 59.6 | +17.3 |
| | Labour | Jeremy Fraser | 1,919 | 58.8 | +17.2 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | John Clemens | 476 | 14.6 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Payne | 473 | 14.5 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | Clive Jones | 459 | 14.1 | −3.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Diana Jenkins | 438 | 13.4 | −0.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Gillian Clemens | 433 | 13.3 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Miranda Picarda | 385 | 11.8 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,263 | 37.2 | +4.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Riverside

Riverside (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Michael Hannon* | 1,492 | 54.3 | +31.6 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Michael Heaney | 1,429 | 52.0 | +29.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Joan Price | 1,393 | 50.7 | +29.5 |
| | Labour | Thomas Gregory | 995 | 36.2 | +13.9 |
| | Labour | Melvyn Brookstone | 977 | 35.6 | +14.0 |
| | Labour | David Brockman | 905 | 33.0 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Clayton | 175 | 6.4 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Bertram Williams | 99 | 3.6 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,746 | 42.6 | −2.4 |
| | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Alliance gain from Independent Labour | Swing | | |

### Rotherhithe

Rotherhithe (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Frank Pemberton* | 1,526 | 56.0 | +29.3 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Victor Jones | 1,353 | 49.6 | +22.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Richard Shearman | 1,283 | 47.0 | +24.0 |
| | Labour | William Carter | 1,006 | 36.9 | −9.7 |
| | Labour | David Brasier* | 992 | 36.4 | −9.1 |
| | Labour | William Griffiths | 963 | 35.3 | −9.4 |
| | National Front | Raymond Barker | 77 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | National Front | Anthony Grant | 76 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,727 | 44.4 | +14.1 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Ruskin

Ruskin (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Mitchell | 1,963 | 45.1 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Hartup | 1,924 | 44.2 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | John Edwards | 1,885 | 43.3 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Valerie Stagg | 1,190 | 27.3 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | John Thomas | 1,165 | 26.8 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | Kevin Williamson | 1,062 | 24.4 | +9.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Jonathan Mitchell | 941 | 21.6 | −7.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Deborah Sillett | 899 | 20.6 | −8.7 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | John Weedy | 849 | 19.5 | −9.3 |
| | Green | David Smart | 412 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,355 | 54.8 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Rye

Rye (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elsie Headley** | 1,246 | 38.9 | +8.5 |
| | Conservative | Irene Kimm | 1,212 | 37.9 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Jasper Perry | 1,190 | 37.2 | −4.0 |
| | Labour | Christopher Hughes | 1,186 | 37.1 | +9.0 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Adam Norton | 460 | 14.4 | −7.9 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Robert Skelly | 431 | 13.5 | −8.7 |
| | Green | Alex Goldie | 147 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,199 | 46.8 | +2.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Elsie Headley was a sitting councillor for Alleyn ward

### St Giles

St Giles (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anthony Ritchie* | 1,956 | 56.4 | +10.4 |
| | Labour | Winston Stafford | 1,867 | 53.8 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Michael Geater* | 1,725 | 49.7 | +4.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | John Bennett | 955 | 27.5 | +0.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | John Egan | 874 | 25.2 | +3.4 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Andrew Sawdon | 860 | 24.8 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Pitman | 364 | 10.5 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Turnbull | 342 | 9.9 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | Alfred Wood | 322 | 9.3 | −7.7 |
| | Green | Stephen Barbe | 180 | 5.2 | N/A |
| | Revolutionary Communist | Kim Pepper | 70 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,470 | 37.4 | +6.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### The Lane

The Lane (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leslie Alden** | 1,253 | 46.7 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Pamela Smith | 1,225 | 45.6 | +8.0 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Andrew Harris | 737 | 27.4 | −1.9 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | David Salmon | 735 | 27.4 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Clough** | 421 | 15.7 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Robert Chamber | 409 | 15.2 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,685 | 44.3 | +8.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Leslie Alden was a sitting councillor for St Giles ward
Richard Clough was a sitting councillor for Rye ward

### Waverley

Waverley (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brian Kelly* | 1,419 | 55.7 | +15.4 |
| | Labour | Brian McKeon | 1,261 | 49.5 | +13.3 |
| | Conservative | Lilian Dawson | 766 | 30.1 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Khalid Sharif | 734 | 28.8 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Doreen Robinson | 217 | 8.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,549 | 44.1 | +5.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-Elections

Dockyard by-election, 24 July 1986 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Sullivan | 1,168 | 50.1 | +6.4 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Hyman Silverston | 1,041 | 44.7 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Clayton | 72 | 3.1 | −3.3 |
| | National Front | John Norris | 50 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.84 | −5.5 |
| | Labour gain from Alliance | Labour gain from Alliance | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. George Walker
Liddle by-election, 9 April 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Deborah Welch | 951 | 69.8 | +0.3 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Ann Harris | 292 | 21.4 | +11.2 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Atman | 120 | 8.8 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 17.19 | +7.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Ali Balli
Rye by-election, 24 September 1987 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Trevor Pitman | 1,495 | 54.8 | +17.6 |
| | Labour | Christopher Hughes | 811 | 29.8 | −9.1 |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Robert Skelly | 261 | 9.6 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Alex Goldie | 145 | 5.3 | +0.7 |
| | Communist | Linda Osborn | 14 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.45 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Elsie Headley
Chaucer by-election, 25 February 1988 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (SDP) | Anna McGettigan | 1,365 | 48.3 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Alexander Moore | 1,146 | 40.5 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Eriksen | 266 | 9.4 | +3.1 |
| | Communist | Peter Power | 51 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.47 | −1.7 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Linda Oram
Riverside by-election, 21 April 1988 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Coral Newell | 1,348 | 47.0 | +10.8 |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | George Dunk | 1,345 | 46.8 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Clayton | 129 | 4.5 | −1.9 |
| | National Front | Stephen Evans | 49 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.73 | +1.1 |
| | Labour gain from Alliance | Labour gain from Alliance | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Joan Price
Abbey by-election, 27 October 1988 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (Liberal) | Alan Blake | 1,240 | 65.6 | +26.5 |
| | Labour | John Johnson | 514 | 27.2 | −14.7 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Pheby | 137 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.79 | +0.1 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Kenneth Carlisle
Lyndhurst by-election, 17 November 1988 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kate Hoey | 1,778 | 57.7 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative | Heather Kirby | 880 | 28.5 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Goldie | 327 | 10.6 | −2.2 |
| | SDP | Doreen Payne | 98 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.24 | −10.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Alan Crane
Friary by-election, 12 October 1989 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Wingfield | 810 | 48.0 | −22.3 |
| | Independent Labour | Gregory Staunton | 567 | 33.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael Lawson | 202 | 12.0 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leroy Arscott | 110 | 6.5 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.05 | −5.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. David Main